


The Tale of a Lioness

by FoxMaiden



Series: Angelic Huntress [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-24
Updated: 2015-03-24
Packaged: 2018-03-19 10:46:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 60
Words: 245,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3607275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxMaiden/pseuds/FoxMaiden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which the Winchester's had a sister, and Lucifer was really just misunderstood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning (As Cliche as it Sounds)

This was about seven months after Dean had come to get Sam from Stanford and when Jessica had burned in the apartment.

At the age of seven Steff was introduced to the Winchester side of her lineage. When werewolves had gored her mother and brother to death. She had known something was wrong when her mother, and her older brother never came back from a weekend camping trip. Steff had stayed home based on the fact that she had sprung her ankle and just plain didn't want to go. See Steff even at a young age was always aware of the fact that her father had been a hunter. She found this out when she asked her mother what her father did for a living, and that's when her mother had explained his profession to Steff. (Steff and her older brother had two different fathers.)

Now Steff realizing something was wrong when her mother and brother never came back from that trip, it was only supposed to last a weekend. So naturally Steff went and got her mothers pistol, found her father's number, and called it. But the number had said he was unavailable; so she had to call another number that was his son's and they came to check it out.

Three Days later

When Sam and Dean finally got there they were surprised to find a small, red haired seven year old girl pointing a Smith & Wesson Model 66 snub nose at the Dean's head.

"Whoa kid, put the gun down we're friends." Sam says in a calming tone.

"How the hell am I supposed to know that? John said his son was coming not two freakishly large men. Who are you and what's with chuckles over there?" Steff says in a calm, but wavering voice. Dean laughs and Steff whose nerves are just about shot, smiles and shoots the wall next to Dean's head as he ducks and she shouts out. "Now, I'm not going to ask again who are you and where is John?" Steff demands as she feels like she might cry knowing her brother and mother are most likely dead. Her father is nowhere in sight, not that he usually ever was but it would have been really nice if he was here now, plus she had to deal with these two asshats.

Sam being the braver of the two begins again, " My names Sam Winchester and chuckles over there is my older brother Dean. We're John's sons he might have mentioned us coming because he was busy, but its alright now we're hunters and we'll keep you safe." Sam finishes and watches as the girl relaxes a little to the point where she lowers the gun slightly. Chuckles, who has now been identified as Dean says, "Kid gimme me the gun." in his 'I mean business' tone, which reminds Steff a little bit of John. So hesitantly she proceeds to give Dean the gun against her better judgment. Dean who smiles with what Steff equates to 'I'm not here to hurt you' smile. But it reminds her a little too much of the pedophile down the street that Wes had more than once saved her from. After giving up the gun, Sam gives his 'I know your terrified of me and my brother but really we won't hurt you' look. Sam seeing Steffs still frightened kneels down to look her in the eyes and explains the situation. However Steff isn't really listening anymore since she had already guessed the truth. She is now watching how Dean looks at her, well it's really more of a glare… makes her feel like she's the bane of his existence right now. Steff knows he's trying to figure out how best to get rid of her because he thinks she's a liability, and finally after about ten minutes of this Steff can't take his glare anymore and she shouts, "I'm not the useless, little girl you think I am and my names Steff, not kid!"

Dean who is surprised at her sudden outburst does a one eighty with his demeanor and says with a smirk, "I like this girl Sam. She's got potential."

Sam smiles and says, "That's good because Dad said she's our half-sister, and apparently we're supposed to take care of her…. Not to mention train her to be a hunter."

Even at seven Steff was witty and she interjects, "The feminine of hunter is huntress"

Dean and Sam share a look like what the hell did we just get ourselves into.

That was seven years ago now the real story begins.

So Steff grew up into a five and a half foot, red haired, ice blue eyed girl; with a slender frame and a face that said 'I'm easy to trust' to match. Needless to say she was very helpful in getting information from the younger generations. But when the boys went to train Steff they realized it wasn't gonna take much the girl was already a pretty good shot and had a running ability to match Sam. Plus she was as clever, so when it came to outwitting the supernatural she was a master. Not to mention when it came to out smarting her brothers Steff had a knack for that too. So that's when the boys learned it was pointless to try, and stop her because if Steff wanted to do something Hell be damned if she was going to be stopped.

One day when the boys were about to go out on a hunt, Steff asked if she could go too.

"I don't think that's a good idea Steff." Sam replies uneasily knowing this is going to start a fight. Steff was very argumentative when it came to the topic of hunting… mostly because Dean still wouldn't let her help much.

"Why not I'm just as good at it as you guys?" Steff answers, getting angrier by the minute.

"Yeah I'm with Sam on this. This hunt is gonna be challenging and I don't want to have to worry about you, but when we go to salt and burn a ghost you can come then." Dean offers to Steff hoping it will placate her for now.

"Fine, go I'll stay." Steff says dejectedly, but with a new plan all ready forming in her mind. The boys satisfied that she isn't going to follow them: leave, lock the door, and drive away none the wiser to what Steff was about to do. Once the boys were gone for about an hour she grabs the weapons she'll probably need, some money, and the newspaper with the article about the random wolf attacks from the motel lobby. She then hops onto the next bus out of town. By the time the boys came back that night, bandaged their wounds, and realized that Steff was no longer in the town. Steff was two states over and had already begun hunting three-rogue werewolves who were changing out of season and killing innocent people. At first the boys had tried to track her, but soon they realized she must have destroyed her cell phone, and wasn't paying with the credit card they had given her to use in emergencies. After realizing this they reluctantly and angrily decide to go to Bobby Singers, an old friend and the closest thing to a father Sam and Dean ever had. They were hoping Steff would just go there after she got done doing whatever she was doing.

Three weeks later

The boys finally hear from Steff, three weeks later when she calls from a payphone asking about werewolf lore. After Bobby tells her the information he tracks the phone then informs Sam and Dean of her location. They had been hanging around his junkyard hunting cases nearby in case Steff was found. Plus they realized real quick after the first week, if Steff didn't want to be found they weren't going to find her no matter how hard they looked. So when they heard Steff was just a few states away they drove all night, and when they finally got to the hideout. She was covered in werewolf gore and basically dead on her feet. However when she spotted Dean stalking over to her with an angry glare that could kill, she tried to sprint away even as exhausted as she was. Dean was no match for her, but she didn't account for Sam standing around the corner who she ran right into.

"Damn, Sam you're like a friggin brick wall." Steff says her exhaustion showing through in her physique and voice. Dean finally manages to catch up to them, angry glare still on his face.

"Steff you are so grounded when we get back to Bobby's like I mean chained to a wall grounded," Dean tells Steff who just nods weakly. Then her body unable to handle the stress that comes from hunting three werewolves on your own collapses from exertion. Sam catches her before she meets the ground, and they take her back to the Impala to check her for bites just to be sure. Finding nothing other then cuts from the fight the boys drive back to Bobby's who greets them with a worried expression when he sees a passed out Steff in Sam's arms. Sam takes her to the panic room to rest and locks the door behind him not wanting a repeat situation. Then joins Bobby and Dean outside on the porch where Dean is discussing her punishment over a beer.

"Bobby I'm going to handcuff that girl to me when she wakes up."

"Dean now if you do that, you realize the girl will just push harder to get away and she is a hell of a lock picker." Bobby comments as he takes a swig of his beer.

"Yeah I agree with Bobby. Steff will just run away, and now that she realizes Bobby will rat her out she will disappear forever. I mean we couldn't even find her until she called Bobby." Sam points out as he leans against the porches railing.

"Well there has to be some kind of punishment for this, we can't just let her get away with it." Dean exclaims in frustration. The men then begin arguing back and forth between each other and after about four hours of arguing they begin to notice how quiet the house is. After the sun had set they moved the conversation inside, and since Sam had put a baby monitor in the panic room earlier. The men realized there were absolutely no sounds coming from the panic room monitor. So all three of them find a very bloody and dirty Steff curled up with her knees pulled up to her chest and tears streaking down her face. The men who hadn't checked her for anything but wolf bites realize she must be injured, and since her brothers still look like they're going to kill her. Bobby decides to go in. Armed with a first aid kit, a bucket of hot water, and a towel; plus a clean shirt and sweatpants too. After he enters he sends the boys away says he doesn't need their glares, but that was mostly a lie. The real reason was because he wanted to hear her side of the story, not the lies she'd probably tell if the boys were around.

"So Steff where's it hurt" Bobby asks in a jibing tone as he walks in.

"If I said everywhere would you believe me?" Steff responds tiredly as she wipes her face off on the damp cloth Bobby offers her.

Bobby just laughs and says, "Well after how the boys found you I'd believe it"

Steff just cringes as Bobby pulls her leg out to see if it's broken and says, "Is it really that bad I haven't looked into a mirror in like forever."

"Well you definitely ain't winning any beauty pageants soon, but you'll live." Bobby jeers and Steff just smirks, but it turns into a grimace when he moves her leg out and sees the bone shifted.

"Damn I had one coming up soon…so I'll bite how pissed are Sam and Dean scale of 1 to 10?" Steff asks sarcastically as she wipes the dirt off of her arms.

"Well I'd put them at a hundred and ten just to be safe." Bobby says as he begins to stitch a deep gash on her arm. They sit in silence for few minutes as Bobby finishes stitching her arm.

"That bad, all I did was take out a few rogue wolves by myself. I even had all the weapons I needed. I figured when I asked you for lore you would give them my location anyways so I don't really see the reason to be mad." Steff says after awhile with a frustrated sigh.

Bobby looks at her with a dumbfounded look, "Now Steff, I know you're not stupid because a stupid hunter would have got herself killed today, and I also know that you know that what you did was wrong. Now it would just do you well to admit you were wrong and don't fight them cause it'll just be worse for you." he says fatherly like while wrapping her arm in a bandage.

"I'm not a baby. I can fight my own battles, clean my own wounds, and I didn't need their help or yours. So just leave the kit and clothes, I'll do it myself," Steff says with an indignant huff. Bobby sensing that she's pissed, wounded, and probably physically/emotionally exhausted. He decides its just best to leave her alone and let her bandage herself up. So Bobby backs off and leaves with a heavy sigh. After he's gone Steff goes to set her leg, knowing the bone finally snapped when she tried to sprint away from Dean. So shakily she begins to pull her jeans off to inspect the damage and notices the bone is indeed shifted slightly. She tries to move it back, but instantly regrets it when the pain hits her. She has to muffle the scream into the pillow from the bed, but she can't hold back the tears that follow. Steff tries once more only this time a blood curdling scream let's loose from her lips that instantly has Sam, Bobby, and Dean sprinting down to the panic room. Where they find Steff passed out most likely from the pain in a pair of short shorts and a calf bone slightly out of place. Well the men put two and two together, and realize she probably tried to set her own broken bone.

"I think she tried to set her own broken leg." Dean says in disbelief his anger fading slightly, "I don't care who you are that's pretty hardcore for anyone, and I give her props for trying but I'm still pissed at her."

"Dean stop staring and help me clean her up and set her leg," Sam scolds as he moves toward their passed out sister.

"We should check both her legs to see if both are broken or just one." Bobby adds quietly and the boys just nod as they take his suggestion. They just thank God that it's only one of her legs.

"How the hell did she run away from me before?" Dean asks as he leans down to hold her leg still while Sam begins to gingerly move it, only to see her try and shift it away.

"Probably just the adrenaline, its clean break so it will heal quicker." Sam comments quietly as he straightens the bone back into place with a quick snap followed by a groan from Steff still asleep though.

"Good," Dean responds. "So Bobby did you get a reason from her for her recent actions?" Dean asks while looking down at Steff with concern.

"Yeah she's just growing up, and doesn't want to be left out so she figured if she showed you how great of a huntress she was. She thought you wouldn't leave her behind so often." Smirking as he tells Dean and Sam.

"Bobby don't you go encouraging this kind of behavior. I don't care how old she is and how great she thinks she is, after this little stunt she is definitely not ready to hunt." Dean scolds in a huff angrily.

"Wow, you sound exactly like Dad when I first wanted to hunt" Sam comments snidely.

"Well you're a boy so hunting is different for you." Dean says confident in his answer.

"You idjit, you really think that's going to work." Bobby responds skeptically and Dean just glares at them knowing his reasoning was really thin to begin with.

"I knocked her out so she should be out for a solid 12 hours. Do you guys wanna help me move her up to our room?" Sam asks as he changes the subject.

15 Hours later

Steff awakes with an arm wrapped around her waist, when she goes to move. She notices her broken leg is in a cast and groans slightly in pain. Steff then tries to shift out of the arm, which she has identified as Sams. She looks around the room to find Dean in a fitful sleep across from them, and next to the bed is a pair of crutches. Steff grabs them then proceeded to hobble to the bathroom as quietly as possible trying not to wake everyone. She gets there no problem, but on her way down the stairs to get something to eat, she misses the last stair and starts to fall. Bobby who was in the kitchen sees her, and catches her at the last minute to save her from making a loud bang.

"Thanks Bobby."

"No problem Kid, I'm surprised you made it this far. You hungry?"

"Yeah, you got something I could take this leg and my side is killing me?" Steff grimaces in pain as she sits down at the kitchen table and Bobby hands her some toast.

"Yeah sure Kid. What happened on the hunt?"

"Well one of the wolves slammed me against a wall. Then alpha of the pack stepped on my leg after I killed his mate and beta, but when I tried to sprint away from Dean it must have had to much strain then just snapped." Steff explains to Bobby as she takes the pills from him.

"Makes sense. You know Dean's pissed and Sam isn't too happy either, but he kinda seems to relate to the situation. I guess he pulled a similar Houdini act as a teenager although he never set out on a solo hunt. So basically Dean is probably going to chip you or something" Bobby explains to her with a smile and Steff just sighs in understanding as she returns with a small smile. That is until she sees Dean walk in; then her face goes slack as she looks to him seeing the anger in his eyes and overall body language.

"Well, well it seems the huntress has awoken." Dean says tone filled with venom as he enters the kitchen.

"Dean leave the girl be she's tired and in pain." Bobby says trying to calm him.

"No Bobby I don't care how much pain she is in she's a disobedient, bitch and needs to hear this." Dean says angrily. Steff flinches inwardly at his harsh comments but other than that shows no emotion, accepting his comments with a blank face. But Bobby can see in her eyes how much these words wound her, how deep Dean is piercing her heart and if Bobby dare say… her very soul. After about a half an hour of this Bobby can't bear it anymore, and attempts to stop Dean before he destroys her completely. "Boy I think she's had enough. Just quit now." Bobby orders Dean lightly.

"No, she needs to hear every word, I won't spare her feelings. She didn't spare mine or Sams when she left without a word and was gone for weeks." Dean responds with just as much anger and venom as when he had started.

"Dean I'm not sorry for what I did, I saved people." Steff retorts in an almost whisper not really even sure if the words left her mouth, but they did. When Dean hears this he turns to her and slaps her across the face reopening the wound on her lip, and also making her nose bleed again. Steff who seems to not be feeling much anymore just accepts his punishment doesn't even flinch, then begins to limp out of the kitchen as she wipes at the blood on her face.

"Where are you going?" Dean demands.

"Outside." Steff answers hollowly. She then limps out the back door and heads to the barn to think.

"Well way to make the situation worse yah idjit!" Bobby yells furiously when he's sure Steff is out of earshot. Sam who is leaning in the doorway listening to every word that's been said says, "Dean if anything you just made this worse. I mean after going through the same thing with me I would have thought you'd have been more cautious. But you just don't know when to stop sometimes do you?" Sam yells angrily at Dean who still doesn't realize how bad the situation is.

"The kid already felt bad, but your such a damn idjit you didn't even notice how she looked after you got done did you? Plus why the hell would you hit her! She's already banged up enough!" Bobby shouts furiously as he glares at Dean. Dean looks like he's about to say something in defense, but right as he goes to they hear a loud crash and a whimper followed by a weak, "Help!" The men rush outside in the direction of the sound to find a demon trapped in a hastily drawn devil's trap, and Steff slammed against a car fading out of consciousness. They immediately spring into action. Dean grabs Steff who just dangles, limply in his arm, and Dean began to pray silently hoping the angry words from earlier weren't the last he said to her. Sam quickly with Bobby's help exercises the demon not really wanting to torture anything today. Then they rush back to the house to find Dean clutching Steff's body and humming 'smoke on the water'. Sam comes over quickly and checks her pulse satisfied that she's alive… just unconscious. Dean then picks her up again and walks upstairs with her, and then he lays her so his chest is supporting her head. Still humming and she begins to roll a little so she is snuggling into his chest where she sleeps on him for about ten hours. In the morning Sam wakes Dean up and tells him they need to get her into the shower and get her some food. Dean grunts in response then picks her up bridal style and she immediately awakes. Sam gives her an injection of painkillers figuring that would be the easiest. She does her business and tries to shower on her own, but after a few failed attempts she decides to ask for help. Which Dean reciprocates after getting a plastic bag on the cast proceeds to bathe her. After that they all but shove fluids down her throat before she falls back into a deep sleep. And that's how it goes for a few days till she recovers from the junkyard battle. Steff doesn't tell them what the demon said to her or the gruesome dreams about a blonde haired man with four pitch-black wings darker than any night. The wings themselves seemed to suck all the happiness from her very soul. She can't quite figure out what all these omens could possibly mean. So she keeps them to herself and when she cries out in the night waking Dean who was sleeping next to her. She tells him nothing. No matter how many times Dean or Sam asks so he just pulls her close while whispering words of comfort as he wipes the tears from her eyes. This is how goes because the men don't push her for information so the reason the demon was there goes unsolved. Her leg heals in about five weeks and Steff knows they want answers. So she steels herself and begins to explain most of it but leaves out the part about her nightmares. However when she does it just confuses everyone so they just file it away in the journal thinking it will come in handy later.


	2. In Which Things Start to Fall into Place

Flashback

"My orders are to take you to Hell. Where you will be given to Lucifer, the Devil or whatever you humans are calling him these days." The demon hisses at Steff.

"Why would I go willingly to Hell for christs sake its Hell, not really vacation spot of the year." Steff responds with sarcasm laced heavily throughout her response.

"Well you can either go willingly or I can excuse the pun, drag your pretty face to Hell." the demon says as it chuckles at its own joke. Well Steff realizes there's only a few options here fight even with a broken leg, scream for Dean, Sam, and Bobby, or run. Since running really wasn't that much of an option with her leg, nor was calling the guys for one demon they'll probably think she's a sissy.

"Well then… I guess its time to tango." Steff says half-heartedly knowing this isn't going to turn out well for either of them. Steff armed with an eight-inch bowie knife, she managed to swipe off of Bobby early, prepares herself. The first moves are made and Steff is surprised that the demon is actually keeping its word and really just trying to capture her. The fight goes on for a while and Steff is fading fast so she decides to end this cat and mouse type fight fast… so she makes a ballsy decision. She puts all her strength into leading the demon into a devil's trap Steff had placed a few yards away. The demon thinking he's won rushes at her, but pushes her to hard and she flies into a car as he lands in the devil's trap. She shouts and that's the last thing she remembers before the guys rush out and grab Steff then exercise the demon.

End Flashback

Steff is 15 by now

A year after the werewolf incident Sam learns of his powers and with Dean they go hunt down Azazel without Steff. And as we all know Sam ends up dead so Dean sells his soul to a crossroads demon and gets one year to live. So the boys decide to go back to Bobby's where Steff has been hunting with Jo (Jordan) a long time friend of hers, under the watchful eye of Bobby… plus occasionally living with Bobby also. Bobby, who had never told Steff that her brother had died, decides he should. When suddenly there is a knock on the door and low an' behold its Dean and Sam. Bobby just stares in shock and Dean tells Sam he needs to ask Bobby something. So he should just go inside and tell Steff that they were here for a visit. Sam doesn't object and goes inside to find his sister. But Steff knew something was wrong the moment she saw Bobby's face so she hides and listens to their conversation.

"What did you do you idjit," Bobby yells in a hushed whisper. Dean looks away and then Bobby realizes what he did and shouts, "How long did it give you?"

Dean tries to deflect the question by asking "How's Steff been lately?"

"Dammit boy you answer the question!" Bobby demands furiously.

Dean knowing he has no other choice answers with sadness laced through his voice, "one year".

Bobby steps back from him and stares at him in disbelief. "How do you think Steff is gonna be when she learns of this?" They continue talking but Steff doesn't hear much else other than 'I had to bring Sammy back I couldn't live without both of them'. She sneaks back into the house where Sam is still diligently looking for her. Steff leaves a simple note on the table 'How are we supposed to live without you?' then hot wires a car and leaves. Steff knows as she drives to the crossroads she is probably going to get a shit deal. She's a Winchester the supernatural try to screw them whenever they can, so she isn't that upset when the demon says, "I'll give you a week then your contract's up." Steff hesitantly agrees. The demon seeing her hesitance at this and says, "Love Hell won't be that bad, you won't even notice how fast eternity will fly." the demon assures her knowing the plan for Steff, and the hardships the young girl still has yet to face. He is pleasantly surprised when Steff just smirks and says; "Damned in this life and the next, I guess it's just a Winchester thing." the demon laughs and with a smile agrees, "I guess it is Love, I guess it is."

Steff drives back to Bobby's with a heavy heart knowing what she has to face when she gets back… their anger, disappointment, or… Steff can't really think of what else could be worse. She pulls into the drive slowly and gets out. As she walks through the front door Bobby and Dean immediately know that something's up by the look of utter sadness in her eyes… also by the note they found. When she sees this she quickly hides it with a convincing smile and says, "Honey I'm home." Sam smiles brightly none the wiser to what's going on and says, "Long time no see Steff. Bobby said you were here earlier but I couldn't find you, well at least we know you haven't lost your touch."

Steff smirks and assures him, "I was out on a hunt, just a quick exorcism, really just routine stuff."

Dean practically glares and states, "I'm sure it was, Steff can I see you outside I want your help with the carburetor in the Impala. It's acting up again."

"Sure Dean." Steff says uneasily, unsure of how pissed he is and whether or not he is going to kill her with a wrench himself while they're out there. Once out by the car and pretty sure they weren't followed by curious ears Dean asks, "How long?" now Steff realizes he wasn't pissed or disappointed at all… just distraught because he knew the exact look Steff had been wearing before she entered the house.

Steff knowing he's not gonna let her go until she answers squeaks out, "One week." Dean looks at her in horror almost as if she just killed herself, which if she thought about it she probably just did. Now what neither of them knew was that Sam knowing the Impala wasn't broke at all followed them out there, and was confused when found Dean hugging Steff and asking her why. Sam just storms back into the house and demands Bobby tell him what's going on right now. Bobby tells him to wait for Dean and Steff cause he's sure they'll explain it to them. So Sam waits very impatiently drinking a beer and a look that says 'tell me what the fuck is going on right now.' When Dean and Steff come back Steff looks like she had been crying. She begins to explain to them how Dean had sold his soul so that he could get Sam back and the demon had given him a year to live. Sam stares at him with so much anger, but stops when Steff says that's not the whole story. She then tells Sam and Bobby how she sold hers for Deans and his, and practically whispers, "He gave me one week." Steff then proceeds to break down into tears knowing she in one week to live and then will be in Hell eternally. Bobby just stares in horror, Sam turns pale, and Dean… well he gives her a beer, a hug, and says, "I think you earned this Angel."

Steff laughs and says, "Can we just hang out like a normal family for once like no hunts or supernatural stuff. I just want to go fishing, maybe see a movie, and just hang out with you guys for the last time ever." So that's what the Winchesters did for that week. They spent it doing what normal family life things like fishing, went to the movies, and hunted… not the supernatural but just regular animals.

End of the Week

The hours before Steff was scheduled to go to Hell, she got up off the couch she had been laying on and walked out to sit in the Impala just one last time. After about ten minutes of sitting in the black Chevy trying to memorize the feel of the seat so when she was in Hell she had something to think about at least. After a while she begins to hear the Hellhounds howling so Steff got out of the car and went to meet her fate on the other side of the junkyard with as much dignity as she could possibly wrangle together. When she got there she saw the massive hound and a man in a suit. The man identifies himself as Crowley as he looks Steff up and down and says, "You know if I didn't have this contract I wouldn't believe you were a Winchester, Steff."

Steff laughs and responds, "Yeah most people wouldn't either so don't blame yourself… Apparently I don't have that rugged charm like my brothers or father."

Crowley smirks as he extends a hand and says, "No you it's more of a… refined taste. However times up Love, time to join us in eternal damnation." So hesitantly Steff steps over and Crowley is mildly surprised, "Well you're definitely the calmest Winchester we've ever taken. Don't get me wrong Love, I'm glad you came willingly it would have been such a shame to rip your lovely face off."

"You know I live to make your life easier Mr. Crowley." Steff responds sarcastically as she hums the tune and Crowley just rolls his eyes. So with that Crowley touches her body, Steff dies instantly, and is transported to Hell. There she is delivered to the being from her dreams that she now realizes was Lucifer.

"Crowley thanks so much for the delivery, but don't you have a job to be doing now." Lucifer says as he eyes his newest addition to Hell, and Steff flinches at his intense stare suddenly wishing she were anywhere but here.

"Yeah, well next time you want an errand boy Lucifer give FedEx call not me." Crowley states a look of disdain currently on his face at his leader as he begins to walk away. Steff stares after Crowley as he leaves willing Crowley to not leave her with this fallen angel. Crowley just gives her a sympathetic look and leaves.

"Now where were we, Steffanie Winchester the one who sacrificed so much for her two brothers. AKA the righteous lady, the chosen one, the one destined for greatness." Lucifer laughs as he approaches her. Steff finds herself backing away from him until she eventually hits the wall, which just makes her realize that escape is futile. As he closes the distance between them Steff can smell the stench of… wait he didn't smell. Well he does smell just not like she thought he would. From what she can tell he smells of burning evergreens, and the smell of the freshly fallen snow. The two smells that Steff loves and she can't help, but smile up at this, which throws Lucifer for a loop.

"Steffanie what is there possibly to be happy about? You're in Hell surrounded by demons with no hope of escape." Lucifer questions her with confusion.

"Maybe, but at least I'm not alone." Steff says optimistically and Lucifer just backs off in confusion because it reminds him a little of himself… he hates Hell and he hates being alone too. He can't help, but return this young girl's mysterious smile as he escorts her to Alistair and Azazel, who both smile sadistically at the girl. Lucifer doesn't know why, but for some reason he wants to take her with him…protect her… save her from the horror she is about to face. He doesn't want to leave this innocent girl with these sadistic demons, but he just shakes the thought from his head as he hands her over leaving her to her fate. However he makes sure to file her name away for future reference.

Month fifteen

In Hell

The next time Steff awakes and is fully conscious. She realizes she isn't in her normal pit because when Alistair would torture her, she was almost always in some sort of lucid dream state. She is in excruciating pain and immediately notices why; Lucifer has his hand inside of Steff reaching into her soul. See over the course of the years Steff has been in Hell Lucifer began to show up more and more… sometimes he would just observe the torture, sometimes participate in it, but Steff saw how torn he looked while doing it though. A few times he had actually rescued her from them and took her on a walk to a stables of sort's where she met a lovely Nightmaric Steed named Sky Ranger. However of late he had started to do something to Steff… something that Steff knew was making her into something new, but Steff couldn't figure out what because she knew it wasn't a demon. She didn't know how she knew that she just knew that she wasn't becoming demonic… Steff would even dare say angelic, but she knew Hell didn't create angels so she quelled that thought fast. Now Steff finds herself beginning to scream and Lucifer tells her to be still, or he will send a legion of demons to kill Bobby and the boys. After hearing this she does her best to try, and stifle the cries to the best of her ability. Meanwhile Lucifer realizes he's being a little harsh. He really doesn't mean to hurt the girl, but it's just the nature of the procedure. He hushes her and begins to hum 'smoke on the water' like he watched Dean do when she was little and had nightmares. As Steff hears the song her muscles begin to relax a little bit and she stops fighting so hard then asks very simply, "What the hell are you doing now?"

Lucifer says to her with a sigh, "Steff we have been through this like a hundred times… I have been slowly injecting my grace into your soul to see if I can turn you angelic and it has been working. In fact you should be finished after this last treatment. You will be angelic and immortal like me; so we can spend eternity together as friends, lovers, or whatever you want." he says with kindness in his voice. Steff can tell by the way he talks to her that he's just lonely like her. Unloved and all he really wants is someone to stay with him for as long as he is stuck here. So she takes pity on him and as he goes to pick her up and put her back into the pit he leaves her in. She hugs him tightly and says, "I don't blame you Lucifer. Who would want to spend eternity alone?" When Lucifer hears this he stops and instead of putting her in the pit, he takes her back to his room and lays her on the black satin sheets of his king sized bed. She instantly curls around Lucifer when he tries to walk away. This small action makes Lucifer smile just like when he met her all those months ago as he hears Steff mumble; "Don't leave me Luci."

Lucifer turns at the nickname and brushes her hair out of her eyes then replies, "Never Sweetheart never." Each day Steff finds herself becoming stronger and stronger seeing as Lucifer doesn't put her back into the pit for torturing. He continues to watch her soul change and grow more like his own before he was forced into Hell. The change makes him happy… something they both haven't felt in what feels like eons and in Lucifer's case its true, but for some reason this makes her smile too… especially when he calls her Sweetheart. Steff doesn't know why she likes that so much, seeing as how when her brothers had tried pet names she would glare at them… especially when Dean called her Angel she was far from an angel, but for some reason when Lucifer calls her that it just feels right to her… like it was meant to be. So this is how it goes for a few months, which in Hell time is like years. Around year 240 or twenty-four months on earth, Steff's angelic powers had started to come in, and now she has learned how to smite demons. Plus look past a demon's vessel to see their true form. But then something strange happens one day when Lucifer was out looking for something for Steff to smite, seeing as she had smited all the lower demons he had on hand. An angel comes to Steff in hopes to rescue her from eternal damnation. Much to her surprise she figured she wasn't really that important, but the angel tells her other wise. The angel introduces himself as Castiel her guardian, whom Steff scoffs at; telling him he's a little late. However he tells Steff that she must hurry for Lucifer can sense his presence in this realm. Steff hesitates at this knowing that demons would often try to lure her away from the safety of Lucifer's care. However Castiel suddenly interrupts her thoughts and says, "I can take you to see Sam and Dean." At mention of her brothers Steff instantly grabs onto Castiel and shouts, "Go he is coming." Castiel flies to where the boys had buried Steff, and put her soul back into the body, glad they hadn't burned it.


	3. Awakening

Castiel tries to wipe her memory but for some reason it won't work. He finds himself a little puzzled at that. He knew that Steff was angelic, but she should have still been receptive to his powers. But before Cas can ponder it much Steff begins to wake up in her grave. Castiel flies back to Heaven seeing that she is not in any danger and only a mile away from Bobby's house. Steff manages to drag herself out of her grave. She stands up and surveys her surroundings while dusting the dirt off of her clothing. She realizes the boys must have buried her in the junkyard at Bobby's. She is glad she's near someone she knows. Steff sprints to Bobby's house and bangs on the door in her usual impatient manner, and she can hear Bobby's usual grumbles as he opens the door, but drops his beer in shock at who he sees there.

"Hey Bobby what've I missed? Seen Sam and Dean of lately, I learned some new tricks while I was in Hell, and I would love to show them." Steff says in a cheery tone.

"What the hell are you!" Bobby shouts grabs his holy water, salt, and a silver knife then proceeds to douse Steff and slice an inch long gash on her arm. Which Steff tries to suppress her grace to prevent Bobby from freaking out anymore at her super human healing speed. But it doesn't work out so well and Bobby takes note of that.

"Now I'm not gonna ask again what the hell are you?" Bobby says warily after watching Steff walk through a devil's trap and all the other enchantments he has.

"Well I'm really Steffanie 'the huntress' Winchester," Steff says hoping Bobby remembers that it was he who had nicknamed her this, "and as to how I got here… well an angel took my soul from Lucifer's domain, and put it into my body you guys buried out back." Steff finishes only leaving out the whole angelic thing, deciding its better to wait until the gangs all here to explain that one. Also praying that Castiel had disabled the tracking charm that Lucifer had put on her. Lucifer had put one on her since she had run from him in Hell so often. She was a Winchester and Hell be damned if she wasn't going to attempt escape a few times right? Castiel being her guardian angel and with some sort of telepathic connection between the two of them, he had heard the pray and sent her a mental yes in response. Steff relaxes knowing she's safe for now at least. So that's when Steff asks Bobby breaking the silence, "Bobby how long have I been gone?"

"Two years kid… two long years." Bobby answers wistfully remembering how tough the first few months were for all of them.

"How did the boys take it?" Steff asks hesitantly noticing the all the empty whiskey bottles around the room.

"Sam wouldn't hunt and refused to talk to anyone for months. Dean… well he nearly drank himself to death and would have too… if Jo wouldn't have come back and told them to man up. Then said that you would have wanted both of them to keep saving people." Bobby smirks at the memory of little Jo slapping Dean in the face when he had refused to listen to her.

"Well Jo and I went a long way back. I had told her if I died to make sure the boys keep it together and carry on." Steff responds wistfully remembering how sad Jo had been when I had told her of the deal, but promised to fulfill her wish if need be. "Well I think I'm gonna go shower based on the fact that I smell like Hell… get it Hell." Steff chuckles quietly at her own pun.

"Wow that was one of the worst joke I have ever heard Steff, but at least I know its you… bad puns, and all." Bobby sighs as he reaches over to hug Steff, "Kid I really missed you, after two years I was sure we weren't gonna see you till the we all died." Bobby says as he releases her and looks to see Steff yawning while picking the grass from her hair, "By the way how long was Hell to you cause you seem a little jet-lagged."

"240 years is what it felt like, but anyways lets talk about something else Hell wasn't really a good time for me. Hey do you still have any of my clothes?" Steff asks as she picks at the dirt under her fingernails.

"Yeah there in the basement you go jump in I'll get you some clothes. You want me to call the boys, or you wanna wait a few days?" Bobby shouts as he heads down to the basement while Steff walks up to the shower.

"Call them now may as well get this over with." Steff shouts from the shower. As Steff begins to shower she never realized how much she missed hot water, shampoo, and conditioner not that Lucifer never forced her to shower it's just… it feels good to be home she thinks. After thoroughly getting all the dirt of Hell off of her body and her hair all silky soft again. She steps out into the steamy air finding the clothes Bobby laid out. When she finally exits the bathroom she eats the sandwich Bobby hands her then tells Bobby she's going to sleep until the boys get here. They were only two states away so she figured a solid five hours to face her brothers, which she wasn't exactly excited for seeing as Sam is probably gonna want details and Dean too. So Steff lies down in Dean's bed and smiles at how she can still smell him; and she can feel tears start to fall from her eyes as she weeps for the two years she was gone, how she misses Lucifer's warm embrace that had surrounded her for a hundred some years in Hell, and how happy she is to be back to see Bobby and soon to see her brothers. After she cries herself out she falls into a deep sleep where Lucifer contacts her and asks where she went. Steff knows he's trying to find her and take her back to Hell with him, but she refuses to talk to him or give a location. So eventually he gives up frustrated, and Steff goes back to her dreamless slumber for a couple more hours. When Sam and Dean finally get there they ask Bobby all kinds of questions. He tells them the exact story she told him, and then he tells them of all the tests he had performed. Plus how when he cut her and she had healed rather quickly, but other than that she was completely normal. Sam who's just glad their sister is back goes up to say hello, but Bobby stops him because she probably needs her sleep. Sam disappointed but understands walks upstairs quietly to go at least see if Steff is actually there, but when he enters he sees Steff sitting at the edge of the bed with tears in her eyes.

"Steff what's wrong?" Sam asks curiously, seeing no reason to be sad right now since she had just escaped from Hell.

"Sam is that you? Wow you haven't changed a bit in those two years still a sasquatch as always." Steff says as she looks up into his face with a calculating look, as if she's afraid he isn't real as she wipes the tears from her face on the back of her hand.

"Well I'm glad to see your sense of humor hasn't changed." He says with a smile as he pulls her into his lap and Steff snuggles into his chest, and then falls back asleep to the sound of his heartbeat. An hour later Dean wonders what happened to Sam and goes upstairs to find him. When he walks in he sees Sam in his bed lying down with Steff snuggled into Sam's chest. Dean just smirks then puts a blanket over the two and lies in his own bed ready to fall asleep. But right as he is about to fall asleep he notices someone lifting the blankets next to him. He cracks his eyes to find Steff there with a pleading look in her eyes. Dean blinks and remembers how she used to use that look when Dean had yelled at her for running out of sight earlier or disobeying him. She was now silently asking for permission to sleep in his bed... her way of saying sorry. Dean just nods while smirking as Steff proceeds to lie down next to him. He then puts his arms around her and whispers, "I knew you'd come back."

Steff smiles into his chest and replies, "Well I'm glad someone believed in me." After the exchanged I missed you's and meaningful glances they fall asleep.

The next morning like 10 am

Steff was currently outside enjoying her freedom while contemplating whether or not to go find the weed she had stashed in a pill bottle under a rock a few years ago. She decides to go get the weed and when she got back from smoking; she notices a familiar face in front of her waiting by the porch steps. But the familiar face isn't a good one… at least not one she thought she would see this soon. The face is none other than Lucifer. Lucifer is standing there looking quite pleased with his ability to find Steff. He just smiles and says, "Sweetheart I think its time to come home the demons are really starting to miss you."

"Lucifer how did you find me?" Steff inquires surprised at his sudden appearance, and how fast he found her without the tracking spell.

"A demon spotted you when you climbed out of your grave, now we can do this the easy way or the hard way." He says with a voice that says 'please just come back with me I really don't want to fight you.'

"Lucifer I don't think so, at least not this time." She says and then runs back to the house, grabs her ebony demon killing knife then runs back outside, now armed she advances toward him. Meanwhile in the house Dean, Bobby, and Sam hear her yell then jolt out of bed and out the front door seeing Steff running towards a black winged man with a knife. Lucifer smiles knowing the younger men must her brothers and the older one is Bobby.

"Now Sweetheart get back here before I have to hurt them." Lucifer says threateningly.

"You'll not touch a hair on their heads Lucifer or I will kill you, and believe me I know how… remember when I escaped the house in Hell, what do you think I was doing dumbass. And don't call me Sweetheart then threaten my family's safety. What the hell is wrong with you? Damn were you dropped on your head as a child or something?" Steff shouts at him angrily while whipping the knife at Lucifer. He catches it however then makes it disappear back into the house. Steff just gulps as he gives her an angry look.

"You may be angelic like me, but I am still stronger, faster, and more powerful then you." He growls practically spitting fire at Steff, and appears next to her while grabbing her arm.

"Get your hands off Steff because I don't care who you are you will not manhandle my sister." Dean growls protectively. Steff who is all out of ideas does the only thing she can… she prays desperately to Castiel. Who to her surprise shows up and forces Lucifer back.

"So this is how you managed to escape Hell." Lucifer says, as he looks Castiel up and down with a calculating look, surprised that this was the being that took her from him. "How did you even contact him in the first place?" Lucifer says now clearly upset she's consorting with other angels especially angels of the lord at that.

"Lucifer leave my charge alone, don't you think you have put her through enough with your twisted ideas. Look at her soul Lucifer can't you see what you have done… how much damage you have done to her. Lucifer this girl will be more powerful then you or I when her full abilities show, and if she goes dark side the Winchesters and I will not hesitate to kill her. Is that what you want fallen brother?" Castiel says angrily with a mix of pity in his voice. Dean, Sam, and Bobby all stare at Steff with a look like do you know what they're talking about. Steff gives them a shrug and I know a little but not that much look right back at them.

"What does he mean by full abilities? Lucifer what did you do to me besides the whole I can smite evil with just a touch, and the whole immortality thing mentioned awhile back." Steff asks now even more pissed that some angel she barely knew was telling her, and not the one who did it.

"Well I injected your soul with my angelic grace thus giving you the powers of an archangel, which should be appearing any day soon. I was going to let you leave once the abilities came in. I just wanted to make sure I was near so if you were in pain I could ease it with my grace till the powers fully developed." Lucifer says calmly trying to keep Steff from smiting him. She tended to try that when he made her angry, though it never worked since he was an angel but it still hurt.

"You were gonna let me go?" Steff asks curiously as the anger dissipates from her voice slightly.

"Yes I was because I figured you would be useful to the world, and I can tell you missed your brothers and Bobby… Believe what you want but I truly just wanted to see you happy. Why do you think I stopped putting you in the pit after these last months in Hell?" Lucifer states. Steff is clearly thinking so in her and Lucifer's silence Bobby asks, "What should we be on the look for before we call you and how do we reach you?"

"Well she'll start to feel pain particularly in her back and refuse to eat plus she might sleep a lot," Lucifer explains, "and you can just call my name, I'll hear you." And with that Lucifer flies back down to Hell a little disheartened that Steff didn't go with him. Steff is now just staring blankly because she knows Lucifer never gives up that easy, and she expects a very interesting visit later. Dean and Bobby begin to talk about watching Steff and Sam asks Castiel what kind of powers they should expect to see. Meanwhile Steff sneaks back out to where her weed is hidden, rolls another blunt because her last buzz had been ruined and begins to contemplate her fucked up life. Steff watches from sitting atop the hood of an old junk car as a mysterious black cat just strolls up to the car, and jumps right up on her lap then lays there like it's entitled to it. She just smiles and lifts the cat up to her chest and holds it, she has a funny feeling that she knows this cat. Steff knows she's going to regret this but she asks anyway, "Lucifer is that you?" as she looks into the cat's eyes. The cat smiles and tells her telepathically 'yes how'd you guess'. 'Just a hunch' she replies with a smile, no longer mad about earlier. That's when she asks, 'can I turn into a cat too?'

'Not yet Sweetheart, but once your wings come in you will be able to do many amazing things' he purrs as Steff strokes his back. Steff just smiles at the cat lovingly, and then heads to the house; knowing Bobby won't care because as a child she had brought many strays in. All she had to do is give Bobby some sad puppy dog eyes that Sam had taught her how to do. So once in the house the boys start questioning her and Steff just looks at them and says she doesn't remember much just what Castiel had said about the powers. She then proceeds to tell them that it's been quite a day and she is showering then going to bed. That's when Sam asks, "Steff what have you eaten today?"

"Umm well I had a banana while you guys were arguing with Lucifer and Castiel plus I…"giggles 'damn this weed must be getting to me' she thinks "and a peanut butter sandwich. Now can I go take a shower captain calorie counter?" Steff finishes satisfied that she didn't appear to be high, but nothing escapes Dean when he is in over protective brother mode.

"Steff why do you smell like you just walked out of a college dorm room?"

"Well Dean it might be because your nose is broke cause I clearly am not stoned." Steff enunciates to him and hopes he'll stop being suspicious while Lucifer shifts on her chest into a more comfortable position.

"You know Steff, I can tell you are higher than a kite and you know when you sleep this off I'm going to interrogate you until you tell me where your stash is." Dean states with his usual over confident tone. Now Steff is tired and in no mood for games so decides very quickly to say, "The devil couldn't even interrogate where I had hid his angelic blade out of me, and you think you can find my nonexistent stash… yeah good luck with that… in fact call Lucifer to come help you." Steff shouts skeptically from the bathroom.


	4. The Pains of Being an Angelic Huntress

After her shower she goes to the basement to sleep in the panic room so she can talk to Lucifer in his cat form. Without getting the third degree of why is she looking at a cat like that? 'Lucifer I'm not tired anymore and my back hurts.' Steff thinks at him in pain.

'I'm sorry Sweetheart you want me to numb it.' Lucifer says knowing what this means and contemplates taking her back to Hell. So she doesn't freak the boys out, but instead he just turns the bed the one he has in Hell and turns the room sound proof, plus makes the door lockable.

'Lucifer does this mean my wings are coming in… should we go back to Hell?' Steff whimpers mentally, clearly in pain.

'Yes, but we don't have to go back to Hell. I set the room up just like the one in Hell so were okay there plus this way you can still see Sam, Dean, and Bobby.' He turns himself human 'I'm going to explain what's going on to them upstairs, I'll be right back okay.'

'All right, but hurry it hurts.' Steff begins to whimper aloud, her face streaked with silent tears. But as he goes to leave she suddenly and desperately thinks at him, 'don't leave me.'

'Never Sweetheart, I'll be gone five minutes tops okay but you gotta let me go so I can come back and we can watch your wings form. What color do you think they'll be? Think about that till I come back okay.' Lucifer tells her and he smiles as he sees her face sink into deep thought then he walks upstairs to explain what is happening. Which immediately causes Dean and Sam to go down to the panic room to see it for themselves. What they find pales their faces on sight when they see Steff writhing on her stomach with four large, delicate wing bones arching out of her back, blood coating the bed and herself. Sam who was always better at dealing with wounds walks to where Steff's head is and begins to whisper soothing words. Dean joins him at the front and says how kick ass they will look when they get finished growing, and how he will be the only hunter to have a literal angel for a sister. Steff chuckles at this and tells him now when he calls her an angel it will actually be true. The boys laugh and Lucifer smiles knowing Steff is probably the only soul he knows who could be making jokes at a time like this… while going through this kinda pain. He can't help but notice how right this feels to him like she was always supposed to be his. Meanwhile Steff begins to drift into a dreamless sleep, her mind trying desperately to escape the pain. Sam and Dean leave to go have beers upstairs in the kitchen and are surprised when Lucifer joins them at the kitchen table.

"You know why I chose your sister?" Lucifer asks breaking the silence. The boys look at each other with blank expressions, honestly not knowing why. "It was because it had to be the person born with an exceptionally strong soul also the one known as the righteous soul. Now originally it was supposed to be you Dean, but looks like she saved you from my company when she made the deal to save you and Sam from Hell. When she was first introduced I never thought she would make it past the first few months of Hell, which was about 30 years roughly. But she had started to unnerve the demons that had showed up to torture her. When she began insulting them, telling them her brother Dean could hit harder. Thus causing the demons to beat her to near death, and having to be healed just to have it done again and again. After all that I thought for sure she would break and become a demon, but she never did and soon the demons grew tired of her laughter and asked me what to do about it. That's when I asked her what her name was and she said and I quote, 'Steffanie Winchester the girl whose going to obliterate you'." Dean, Sam, and Bobby laugh at this.

"She was always so determined to kill or move any obstacle in the way of her freedom." Dean says and starts recalling the time when she was 14 and disappeared for three weeks to kill a pack of rogue werewolves terrorizing a farmer. They only found her after she had called Bobby looking for some lore. Dean tells them how him and Sam drove all night, only to find her covered in gore sitting next to three werewolf corpses. However as soon as she spotted Dean, she had tried to sprint away but had snapped her leg and fell right into Sammy in her rush to get away. "Steff always was a tough one to crack even when we spanked her as a younger child she would say 'if your gonna do that may as well put your back into it'. That kid was near impossible to crack mentally with physical pain, that's why when witches or some vampires captured her. She never gave up any information about anything even when hunting with Jordan. The only weak spot we ever figured out about her and this was only when she sold her soul for Sam and I. Now that I look back it also showed if either of us was hurt she would say it's not that bad you'll be up in a day or two. Or she would be pissed if we left her behind on a hunt and we either had to handcuff her in the car or lock her in the bathroom with a phone to call Bobby if we never came back." Dean explains nostalgically.

"Yeah Dean's right the only time she would behave is when either of us were hurt. Like I mean completely complacent. No resistance to orders. Even if she knew they were stupid or overly detailed because Dean and I would test it to see if it was true, and by god she would follow them to a T." Sam tells them with a smile.

"In Hell if I ever wanted her attention I would say 'I'll hurt them if you don't stop squirming' and it was as if I hit some kind of automatic response. She would stop whatever she was doing and basically do what I said, but I only used that when she was squirming when I was injecting her with my grace." Lucifer says to them. The men and angel just look at each other sharing stories about Steff.

Well for about three weeks Steff was barely conscious, and if she was it was only for a few hours. Before Lucifer would put her back under to avoid the brunt of the pain. But the day came when she walked up the basement stairs with two new pairs of wings.


	5. To Be an Angelic Huntress

Steff walked up from the basement, three weeks later with two magnificent pairs of wings. She had four altogether and they were the darkest black anyone had ever seen. Blacker then even Lucifer's own wings her feathers were tipped with a dark indigo too. So thus began the long task of getting Steff to control her powers; plus teaching her how to fly which she was a natural at so Lucifer didn't really have to focus on that to much. But he really had to help her control was her anger, and not allow her to blow up Bobby's house in a fit of anger. When Dean told her she wasn't allowed to hang out with Lucifer by herself. No one saw Steff for three weeks after that incident and when she returned was covered in gore. Sam had been looking for cases and he noticed that in a fifty-mile radius three hundred people had been saved from anything that count as a dangerous situation. Whether it was muggings, children who had been dying of cancer, or even car crashes; also they got calls from other hunters about being saved by a mysterious, red haired teenage girl with black wings. So they realized Steff must of been out saving people. After a quick shower she went down to the panic room in complete silence still exuding rage. Sam and Lucifer went to try and talk to her maybe talk it out with her, but right as they entered they found a note and read it out, "Went out with an Angel so don't wait up, love Steff." When Dean hears the note he angrily shouts, "What angel could she possibly be going out with? Castiel is way to stiff and Lucifer you're right here."

"Hey why don't we ask Castiel I'm sure he'll have some idea of which angel would be rebellious enough to hang out with her." Sam suggests helpfully. Lucifer is still in his mild shock that Steff would just leave him like this and with another angel at that.

"Sam when you find her call me, I have some business to attend to in Hell." Lucifer says hurt clear in his voice.

"Yeah, sure if Dean doesn't murder her first." Sam says consolingly noticing his hurt.

Lucifer smirks feeling a little better replies, "Castiel too if he doesn't answer Dean soon. Well I'm off, but seriously if you see her call me." Sam nods then goes off to find Dean and stop him from murdering Castiel. Bobby on other hand is just sitting on the couch calmly, watching Dean pace and laughs at him, "They say girls are harder to raise then boys, and after your sister I'd believe them. Now if you don't stop pacing I'm gonna shoot your ass, you idjit. I mean the girl is a damn angel for Christ's sake. What else could possibly kill her besides another angel? I'm pretty sure she hasn't pissed any of them off yet except maybe for Lucifer, but I doubt he would kill her. He went through way to much trouble to create the damn kid." Bobby says reassuringly.

"I'm hurt you would think I would kill my own angel. I mean ouch Bobby that stings a little, but no I don't want to kill her nor do I plan to anytime soon." Lucifer says after suddenly appearing, having fixed the problem in Hell. The night wore on and eventually around two a.m. Steff was found with some male angel with gray wings. Who were sharing a quick kiss on the porch while, she was thanked him for a wonderful night before he flew off into dawn. Just as Steff was about to walk into the house she was met by a fuming Dean, a sympathetic Sammy who recalled a similar situation from his youth, a frowning Bobby knowing Steff is in for it, and Lucifer who is looking at her with betrayal in his eyes.

"So who was lover boy with the wings?" Dean asks nosily. Steff begins to fabricate a name, but before she can say anything Dean says, "don't you dare think about lying to me."

"His name is Balthazar and he's just a friend. Besides what's it to you Dean, you sleep with anything that walks." Steff retorts defensively, Sam and Bobby laugh quietly and Dean just glares at them.

"We're not here to talk about me and my sexual conquests. We're currently here to talk about your damn mood swings… seriously they could cause whiplash." Dean says loudly at her. Steff is about ten seconds from disappearing, but begins to realize that she has been out of the ordinarily moody. However this is not how Steff wants to talk about this, so she decides now's a good time to try her animal transformation powers. She then turns herself into a cat very surprised it actually worked on the first try, and then proceeds to leave in hopes of finding an old friend in Hell. Leaving the men stunned and staring after her.

"Where the hell did she go now" Dean shouts clearly frustrated and ready to kill something.


	6. An Old Friend and Awkward Explanations

Steff as a cat manages to fly down to Crowley's area in Hell. It was tricky and she missed a few times landing in random pits which was very awkward, but eventually she makes it to find a surprised Crowley.

"Now what have we here," Crowley coos as he leans down to pick up a very distressed looking cat that reminds him a little of Steff, who he hasn't seen since he called Castiel to come get her out, "Well hello Love, aren't you an affectionate little thing." As the cat begins to rub its body on Crowley's suit, and he is pleasantly surprised when he notices the cat isn't shedding on him.

He continues to bring the cat into his house, and closes the door the cat then turns into none other then Steff who now has four large dark black wings.

"Well Love those look new… black and indigo definitely your colors." Crowley says while admiring her wings.

"Yeah they grew in a few weeks back… hey you think I could hang with you for awhile I have seem to upset just about all my friends, and I don't fancy a trip to Heaven to be gawked at by Cas and his angel buddies." Steff asks in a pleading tone.

"What did you do?" Crowley asks curiously, wondering what could be so bad that she fled to a demon's house in Hell.

"Well I started to feel really moody after these grew in and I got so angry so easily, plus I was hanging with another male angel and that seemed to upset Lucifer a lot. Also he makes my wings tingly when he touches them… Hey has Lucifer always smelled so… good?" Steff asks innocently. Crowley rubs the back of his neck in frustration when he realizes exactly what the girl's problem is, and surprised that Lucifer never told the girl about what happens when angels first grew their wings.

"How much do you know about what happens when angels grow into their wings exactly? It's an eerily similar process for most mammals when they come of age." Crowley says hoping he won't have to explain the process just needs to jog her brain a little. Almost instantly Steff realizes exactly what is going on. She realizes what the smell is, and starts to run to the bathroom to puke what is left in her stomach from the breakfast she and Balthazar had shared.

"Let me guess you just figured out the million dollar question?" He asks between her heaving.

"Yeah and why is this happening exactly?" She asks hoping he just gives the short version.

"Well apparently when angels get their wings they need to bond or as they put it mate. In order to have a companion forever, otherwise they will usually rebel and well lets just say Lucifer is a perfect example of what happens to unbonded angels. In rare cases some angels can bond as friends and satisfy the urge, but that almost never works." He explains and with that Steff realizes why Lucifer was so adamant about her not being around other angels and now she's livid. Crowley who notices the change asks, "What did he do Love?"

"Now it all makes sense why Lucifer would never let Castiel and his friends teach me how to use my powers or how to fly. He must have been afraid I would bond with one them… I have been refusing those guys for the entire time because it felt wrong. All the while Lucifer was secretly trying to force me to bond with him. That bastard, and when I had kissed Balthazar even though we're only friends. He must have thought I was cheating on him in his weird ass mind. Damn I owe my brothers and Bobby an apology, and I am so gonna kick Lucifer's ass next time I see him." Steff practically shouts at Crowley after coming to the realization.

"Well I'm glad I could help you figure that out and all, but can we not start something with Lucifer till tomorrow cause I'm tired and you look exhausted. Plus I think if you stay that angry you might kill Lucifer, and I don't think you really want that in the long run. So how about we sleep it off and figure out this mess tomorrow. What do you say Love?" Crowley suggests hoping Steff will say yes to his proposition because even though he was no match for Lucifer on a good day. He figured some sleep would probably do some good for the distraught angel.

"Yeah sounds like a plan." Steff agrees with him reluctantly. So that night Steff turns back into a cat because it's harder for angels to track her that way, and as cat she sleeps on Crowley's couch plotting revenge. While she's lying there she happens to remember meeting a particularly vexing archangel a long time ago.


	7. Revenge, Cat Fights, and Broken Hearts

When Steff awoke she was lying on Crowley's chest, vaguely recalling how she had walked into his room last night and curled up on him because he was really warm. Looking around for a clock she finds one and it reads 10:17 am in earthly time. Steff at this point is still in cat form stands up, jumps to the floor, and then turns back to a human being. Then begins stretching her wings feeling more relaxed then ever turns to face Crowley to see him slowly waking up.

"You can have the shower first I have to go deal with some of the lesser demons." He says to Steff as he points down the hall. She nods gratefully and goes to take a shower. After her shower she wonders if she has clothes, but after remembering this isn't her house she realizes that she doesn't. So Steff just uses her powers to make them clean again. She leaves a note to Crowley 'Went to Gabriel's don't follow and keep your head down wouldn't want Lucifer to smite you by association, sincerely Steff'. Well no time like the present she thinks to herself as she flies to Gabriel's recalling how she had first met him when the boys had been fighting the trickster. Steff was an angel already and could tell he was no mere trickster. When Steff told him what she was and after her and Sam had figured out that he was really the Archangel Gabriel. They had instantly hit it off. He had taught her a few useful tricks about how to hide from even the strongest tracking spell, plus how to will things into existence. Steff arrives to a mansion in the middle of a very densely wooded forest. She knocks on the door and shouts, "Gabriel it's me Steff. I need your help!" Gabriel opens the door wondering what this unbonded angel could possibly want.

"Steff, I wasn't expecting your company Kiddo." Gabriel says a little surprised that she was here especially by herself. Word up in Heaven was that little Steffanie was Lucifer's, and no one got to touch without fear of death… especially their brother Michael.

"Well I need your assistance and since you're the only angel he used to associate with besides Michael or the fallen. I need to know if he was always such a dick to other female angels, or just the ones he wants to bond with?" Steff inquires a little angrily, as Gabriel gestures for her to come in.

"Umm… I think you're the first one he actually wants to bond with, but you both have to be consensual in it. Why was he trying to force you to bond with him?" Gabriel asks getting a little pissed that his brother would try something so despicable and low like that on her. Gabriel had heard of unbonded angels forcing others to bond with them by using torture or taking over their minds.

"No, he just neglected to mention what would happen once I grew my wings," Steff's voice edged with anger. "Then he wouldn't let me hang out with the other male angels in Heaven when they would offer to show me their heavens, and for some reason he began to smell weird… and then I kept getting angry for the stupidest reasons. I almost obliterated Dean when he tried to ask me what's wrong, then that's when I fled to Hell. Where Crowley explained to me what was happening and what happens if I don't find someone to be bonded with soon." Steff explains realizing how fast she just explained the situation and hoping Gabriel just doesn't call Lucifer.

"This is a very interesting situation, if you don't want him to bond with him in that way then tell him because he can't force it onto you… well he can but he hasn't yet so he probably won't now. But you can change the bond from friends to more than friends back and forth anytime either angel wants." Gabriel explains and looking Steff in the eye he asks, "Would it really be that bad to be bonded to Lucifer in the long run because believe me, you and Balthazar won't last more than a hundred years. The man is a player. He will just smash your heart over and over again. Plus he just makes a better friend I think. Also he is bonded to a few angels already, and you seem to not like to share so I would take Lucifer. He's not to bad… just jealous sometimes and he has a few father issues, but if I remember correctly don't you as well." Gabriel says not really sure why he is defending his brother, especially after what he did to this girl's soul. Steff looks at Gabriel and he can tell that she's moderately devastated because the poor girl really thought she loved Balthazar, but Steff knows Gabriel is telling the truth because she could feel the angel's bond stretched pretty thin. All the while Lucifer's was strong and waiting for her to reciprocate the feeling. Steff now realizes what she will do, but she's still pissed so he isn't getting off that easy.

"Gabriel I know you're right and I will bond with him, but I'm still pissed about this situation. So I don't suppose you have away to get back at him by chance?" Steff asks her smile turned mischievous.

"Umm… well you could always fake your own death." Gabriel suggests casually. Steff instantly smiles and asks, "How?"

"There is this stuff I have that will slow your heartbeat enough for you appear dead for about an hour, and I could make your wings invisible and paint them on the ground under you." Gabriel suggests to her, but since he's the trickster he may have or have not left out a side effect of the potion. However Steff is none the wiser to this information being new at this and all.

"Sounds like a plan, but how will Luci find me?" Steff asks curiously wanting to make sure this is full proof, because she knows Gabriel's planning something just not sure what.

"We'll put you in Bobby's junkyard, you'll scream, I'll do my part, and I'm pretty sure they'll come running." Gabriel remarks running through the situation in his head making sure this will work right even with his little surprise at the end.

"Sounds like a plan, so when will this happen?" Steff asks enthusiastically.

"I'm not busy so we could go now." Gabriel says with a smirk.

A few hours later just before the sunsets

Gabriel follows Steff to a patch of gravel in the junkyard where he paints an imprint of her wings on the ground, and tells her its time start. So Steff lies down making sure to fold her wings up tight. Then Steff releases a blood curdling scream as Gabriel stabs her with a fake angel blade and that really hurt… like a lot. So Steff didn't really have to fake the scream, and after what seemed like an eternity the boys, Bobby, and Lucifer find Steff 'dead' on the ground. Dean and Sam kneel next down to 'dead Steff' Sam is about to check for a pulse, but before he can. Lucifer points at the wing imprint on the ground, and then points out the angel blade sticking in her chest. The only thing that could have possibly killed an angel.

"No, no, no she can't be dead… we just got her back she can't be dead!" Dean shouts angrily into the sky.

"I should have followed her earlier when she took off." Lucifer says falling to his knees dejectedly, she was his last hope at a new life… a life where he was loved instead of feared if only by one person.

"Can't you heal her or something? Maybe you could get her soul and shove it back in." Sam suggests as he looks to the angel desperately.

"Sam maybe it's time to let her go. She has already be through enough leave her dead this time." Bobby says trying to consol them.

"No Bobby!" Dean and Lucifer shout at once. Steff taking pity on the upset men allows her grace to get rid of the poison. Slowly she wakes up, sits up, smiles, then pulls the fake angel blade out of her chest gasping because damn it still hurts to pull a blade of her chest. Her grace heals the wound then she stands up and says, "Howdy boys what I miss." All four of them stare at her like she had four heads. That's when Dean rushes forward and wraps her in a bear hug.

"We thought you were dead you jackass" Dean says quietly as he hugs her tightly.

"Yeah that was part of the plan although you three weren't supposed to be here." She says gesturing to Bobby and her brothers, "This was meant for him," pointing to Lucifer who is still in disbelief at what just happened as she pulls away from Dean. "For leaving out a very key factor of what happens after I grew my wings, you dick." Dean and Bobby look at Lucifer looking for some kind of explanation. Sam however kind of figured that one out on his own he had actually paid attention to the symptoms, and had asked Cas what they meant just forgot to share his findings. Plus he had taken a biology class in college. Dean sees his comprehension and says, "Would you care to share with the class Sammy?"

"Well I had asked Cas and he explained how she needed to find another angel to bond with. Apparently angels have this whole thing about being bonded for life, and I take it Steff just needed to find that. So that's why she was hanging around other angels lately," Sam says nonchalantly with a shrug, "But from her reaction I take it Lucifer never told her so she was probably a very confused and tingly if Cas explained it to me correctly."

"Damn Sam couldn't have said it better myself. So Lucifer care to explain why you never told me?" Steff asks impatiently waiting for his side of the story before she smites him.

"If I told you I forgot would you believe me," the glare he receives from Steff clearly states no, "well its because I wanted to be the one you bonded with, but since you seemed so interested in other angels I got jealous and when I get jealous I turn into a dick. So I'm sorry I should have told you and now might not be a good time, but I don't suppose you would want to bond with me." Lucifer asks hopefully.

"I'm still angry but sure, and all you had to do was ask." and with that Steff rubs her wings against Lucifer's and a bright light flashes then on each angel appears a black wristband. Steff's is laced with pure white and Lucifer's is laced with dark indigo. The bands are meant to show a connection between the two angels.

"This is nice and all, but we still need to talk about the weed you kept hidden out here." Dean says and walks over to the hiding spot then pulls out the pill bottle.

"I'm an angel for Christ's sake. If I want to smoke weed I will, plus Dean you're not my fath—ow" Steff says as she abruptly turns into a kitten. Confused she looks to Lucifer who is just as surprised. Bobby mutters something that sounds like, "Idjit." Sam and Dean give each other confused stares.

"Steff where did you get the stuff to slow your heartbeat?" Lucifer asking hoping he's not right.

"Gabriel why?" Steff answers from the ground then it hits her why he was all to happy to help her, "Awww hell, he turned me into a damn kitten didn't he?"

"Appears so Sweetheart. Here I'll join you in cat form" Lucifer replies turning into a short hair black cat and sits next to Steff a black kitten with indigo tipped paws, ears, and tail.

"And we do what now?" Dean asks while picking up a squirming Steff who doesn't want to be carried around like a baby flexes her claws. Dean yelps but doesn't drop her, "You think it would be that easy. Now settle down and lets go in before a hawk, or some other predator eats you… Lucifer turn back into a person its weird seeing you as a cat it looks way to natural." Lucifer complies and once again appears back in human form. Back in human form he extends out his hands towards Dean and Dean says, "no I got her."

"Well since you got this under control… I have business to tend to in Hell. So I'll see you guys later." Lucifer says, "and I will see you in your dreams later." Steff secretly thanks Gabriel she's a kitten because kittens can't blush and with that he disappears. Dean looks at Sam and Bobby then proceeds to go to the house. Steff who is currently being held by Dean and is finally tired of it bites him, successfully getting him to drop her. She then scampers inside and into the living room then jumps onto the couch and curls up into a ball. Bobby starts to make grilled cheese for dinner, and he asks Dean if kittens eat grilled cheese. Dean shrugs and says probably not. So he gets a bowl and puts milk into it then goes to find Steff only to realize she isn't on the couch anymore.

"Hey have you guys seen Steff…. She's not on the couch?" Dean asks hesitantly knowing Bobby is probably going to be pissed.

"You idjit, you realize it's gonna to be near impossible to find a kitten in this mess." Bobby says angrily as gestures to the messy house.

"Son of a bitch how was I suppose she was going to pull another Houdini act." Dean shouts back at him with just as much anger.

Upstairs

Meanwhile Sam is laying down looking at his laptop when a certain kitten begins to mew at his feet. He could rat the kitten out to Dean, or just let her up. Sam picks the second of the two. Smiling he picks up Steff gently and puts her under his head and she snuggles into him.

"What are you researching Sam?" Steff asks quietly. Sam is surprised she can talk when earlier she just mewed at Dean.

"The best way to kill Alps." Sam answers calmly as he clicks on another website lazily stroking Steff's soft, tiny head.

"What's an Alp?" Steff inquires as she pushes into Sam's hand for more petting.

"A German nightmare monster, it comes when you're sleeping and curses you so that your worst fear kills you." Sam tells Steff as he scratches behind her indigo tipped ears.

"Sounds awful." Steff says and then sneezes.

"Awe that's adorable." Sam tells her and Steff just glares at him.

"Anyways you were saying before I sneezed." Steff says getting back on topic as she curls into where his chest meets the bed.

"Well the supernatural aren't usually very nice, but I suppose there are acceptations like you and Lucifer." Sam points out. This causes Steff to unknowing start purring against Sam, which cause him to smile and begin petting her again. Eventually Sam gets tired and since is Steff is still sleeping against him. He lifts her up gently then lays her on the bed beside his head. Dean having gave up looking for Steff an hour ago decides to go bed, but when he enters the room he finds the tiny black with indigo tipped ears, paws, and tail kitten sleeping by Sam's head purring softly. Sam rolls over almost on Steff, but she senses his movement and moves quickly off the bed. Then Steff stretches her tiny little body out missing her wings, hoping this damn curse wears off soon. As she begins to walk out the room she runs straight into Dean's legs. Dean feels the small thump on his legs looks down to find an angry looking kitten staring up at him. He bends down to pick her up, much to Steff's disdain she finds herself hoisted back into the air.

"Mew meeeew mew" Steff mews at Dean hoping to still keep this charade up.

"You know I can't speak cat, plus I heard you and Sammy talking about Alps earlier." Dean says with a 'you can't fool me' tone.

"Fine can you put me down I'm gonna go read a book in the panic room." Steff responds in a bored tone as she shifts impatiently in his hand.

"What is your deal with me lately? I feel like you always try to flee at the sight of me these days. I remember when I couldn't get you to leave me alone unless I went to the bathroom or a bar." Dean says nostalgically with a smile.

"Dean its not you… I just… I don't know… I feel like your gonna yell at me again and if I'm not here well you can't be mad and I won't get yelled at for something. Plus Sammy pets me softer than you I mean I'm a delicate kitten. Not a piece of meat, you can't manhandle me." Steff responds with a smile.

"Do we really argue that much?" Dean asks while softly stroking Steff's head causing her to purr against his hand.

"After I got my wings all we did was yell about anything; in fact I think we even argued about how cloudy it was one day and whether it would be safe for me to fly in. Also why don't you like me hanging with other angels their angels for god's sake not to many shenanigans they can get into… or will get into… They're so straitlaced sometimes." Steff tells him purring while he strokes her ears.

"I feel like you just left us behind for better things… mainly angels. You know Sam and I haven't been on a hunt in weeks because whenever you flew off, and came back covered in gore. We would ask Lucifer what happened he would explain that you had smited all evil things in like a 50-mile radius or saved people. Sam never worried, but I do… no matter how indestructible you may think you are. You will always be my… Well to me you'll still always be the little seven year old huntress who tried to shoot me." Dean says nostalgically trying to verbalize how he feels, but he was never very good at these chick flick moments. However Steff sees this and can't help, but smile at him for trying.

"Yeah and I will never stop being your little huntress." Steff admits and as soon as she does she turns back into a person still being held in Dean's arms on the bed and wings all knotted and ungroomed. "Hey Dean I don't suppose you would want to help me with something would you?" Steff mumbles with her head still snuggled into Dean's chest.

"What?" Dean asks hoping it doesn't involve moving too much because he likes holding Steff like he did when she was a child. And he would deny it if asked but it showed him that him and his brother had raised this little girl, better than their own father had raised them even in the hunting scene. But then again John never even attempted to raise Steff seeing as he hadn't even tried just left her in their capable hands.

"Can you unknot the feathers on my wings they hurt, and I don't want to wait for Lucifer to get his feathered ass back here… plus I'm still a little pissed at him." Steff asks him because the feathers itched like hell and she couldn't reach them.

"Sure Kid lay on your stomach." Dean says with a smile it reminds him a little of how she would sometimes ask him to do her hair, which always ended up in a ponytail… or if Sam was around a single braid down her back. So Steff lies on her stomach and Dean sits on his knees between Steff's legs, and begins to unknot feathers on the wings. Soon the feathers are all a glossy black except for a few knotted nearest to the bone, and as soon as Dean touches them he hears Steff moan quietly into the pillow; which causes Dean to stop and asks, "You alright down their Killer."

"Yeah, please don't stop, that feels amazing." Steff breathes out realizing she should have stopped him. Plus through the bond she can feel Lucifer's curiosity as to what is making such waves of pleasure shoot through their bond. However Steff doesn't stop Dean because it feels fantastic like how the wind feels when it blows through her hair as she flies. So what happens next is totally her own fault, as soon as Dean finishes unknotting the dark wings he notices how breathless Steff is kinda like she just ran a marathon.

"Steff what's up? You seem a little wobbly." Dean says in confusion when he notices Steff trying to stagger to the door using the bedpost for support.

"Yeah…I'll be fine…in a few minutes." Steff mumbles breathlessly as she tries to walk again, but ends up falling forwards where a very worried Sam who had woken up due to the noise Dean and Steff were making catches her.

"Dude what did you do to her?" Sam asks Dean accusingly.

"I don't know." Dean shoots back angrily. Sam can feel Steff's breathing evening out into sleep and sure enough on his lap Steff is curled up with her head on his shoulder.

"Were you touching her wings by chance?" Sam asks hoping his dense brother didn't do what he thinks he did.

"Yeah and she only started breathing like that when I touched the feathers close to the base of the wing bones." Dean answers still not getting what Sam is hinting at. Sam who is tired of waiting for Dean to figure it out says the only thing he can with not alarming Dean.

"Angel's wings are very sensitive to touch especially when they are newly bonded. Steff probably didn't know this when she asked for your help so don't get mad at her… also you're her brother and that would just be weird." Sam explains calmly trying not to wake Steff who is currently trying to wrap her wings around Sam.

"Are you telling me I basically…?" Dean says trying to hold back laughter.

"Yeah." Sam responds while trying to unwrap the wings curling around him. Dean who has stopped laughing watches Sam fight her says, "Give her here since you don't want a wing hug."

"Dude for being an angel with these huge ass wings, she's still super light." Sam comments as he hands Steff over to Dean and as soon as Steff hits Dean's arms she curls up even tighter against him and starts purring like she did when she was a kitten.

"Sam look she's purring still that's adorable… Do you think she'll remember this tomorrow?" Dean asks pulling a blanket over him and Steff.

"Probably, but don't tease her about it since didn't you two just fix the problems you were having." Sam says, "Hey now that she is in control of her powers can we go hunting again?" Sam asks curiously a little bored of just researching.


	8. To Hunt with an Angelic Huntress

A couple of weeks later

"Steff you know you could save some for the rest of us." Dean says out of breath from trying to keep up with Steff and Sam who isn't far behind Steff agrees with their brother, "You don't have to kill every single one of them by yourself we came to help you."

"Maybe you two are just out of practice." Steff teases as she smites another demon. Then flies back to the boys.

"Or maybe our Huntress is cheating because she is using her angelic powers." Dean says with a smirk.

"I wouldn't call it cheating… More like just using my resources." Steff replies, then grabs Sam and Dean's arms. All three of the Winchesters are flown to the main room of the warehouse. Where six demons eyes flip to smoke colored. Sam, Dean, and Steff all assume fighting positions knowing this is going to be a tough one even for Steff because at most she can only handle four smoke eyed demons at once. As the fight is about to start twelve more normal demons file in and join the smoke eyes in surrounding the group.

"Give us the girl, boys and we'll let you go." Hisses the demon Alistair. Steff, who instantly stiffens and her grace, begins pulsing through her veins ready to smite anything that gets to close. Dean and Sam step closer to Steff in case they need to fly out fast. "Now boys don't be like that, we just want to take Steff to see our boss man Michael."

"I thought your guy's boss was Lucifer." Dean blurts out in confusion while Steff was weighing their options here.

"Who's Michael?" Sam asks meanwhile Steff is leaning toward the fleeing option because from what Lucifer told her. If Michael was involved, it was time to run and get him. However Steff being Steff never really listened to her mate, and he was just an archangel like her. So she had the same amount of power as him, but she wasn't stupid. She knew that if she was going to have even a chance at winning this fight. She had to get her brothers out of here so she could focus on fighting, not their safety.

"Michael my dear Sam is a… Lucifer's dear brother and he would love to meet the angel his brother bonded with." Alistair says in a tight voice and begins to look at his wristwatch. "Well, we are already late so if you would step aside and let us take Steff."

"No one takes Steff anywhere except…. well us or Lucifer." Dean states confidently.

"Pftt, like that really ever worked Dean. Don't lie to the man even if he is a demon. As for Lucifer he has the whole bond thing which he can influence my decisions a little, but here is not the time for this conversation. So how about I don't go with you Alistair, and we just leave." Steff says politely, pushing fear through her bond with Lucifer hoping he'll show up but he doesn't.

"Now why would I ever do that my lovely?" Alistair says sounding a little like the witch from the Wizard of Oz.

"Because if you don't. I'm gonna smite your ass back to Oz because you sound just like that witch. You know the one Dorothy killed with a bucket of water, the only change we would have to make is to make it holy water." Steff sneers with a smirk. Dean and Sam begin to look nervous especially when they feel the hand on their arms. Steff looks at them one last time, and sends them back to Bobby's not willing to risk them in this battle unsure of how bad this battle will actually get.

"Steff don't!" Dean shouts, but in a blinding flash him and Sam land on Bobby's couch. Much to their disdain Steff isn't with them. "LUCIFER!" Dean yells and with a flutter Lucifer lands next to Dean confused because Steff isn't with them. Suddenly he realizes exactly must be happening, and why he had felt fear through the bond "Where is she?" Lucifer demands meanwhile searching the bond, but finding nothing. "Dean tell me where she is… I can't feel her. I need coordinates!"

"The old warehouse on Fifth Street. Hurry some demon named Alistair has her and said something about your brother Michael." Dean says to him frantically. So with that Lucifer flies to the warehouse where he sees Alistair trying to force Steff to step back into a cage.

"Lucifer help me please!" Steff shouts and since she has been shouting this for about five minutes she has begun to lose hope in her fallen angel. Meanwhile in her desperation to get away from her captors she had cut herself on the cage, and is bleeding heavily on her side. Her grace for some reason can't heal the cut, but she suddenly spots Lucifer and attempts to provide a distraction. So she steels herself for one last desperate attack, and puts the rest of her energy into smiting whatever is close enough to her. Which turns out to be seven black eyed demons and two smoke eyes then with that she collapses, unconscious on the dirty floor wings splayed behind her body. No one, but Steff had apparently noticed Lucifer so at this point he chooses to make himself known.

"Alistair long time no see…. I thought I banished you to the darkest corners of Hell."

"Well let's just say I'm not on your payroll anymore. I work for a higher power." And with that he gestures up. So with that Lucifer flies next to where Steff is lying, and he picks up her limp body. Using the bond he can feel her heart beating and her breathing unstable, but still alive.

"What does Michael want with my Angel anyways, because I know my brother and if he wanted to meet her he would have just shown up. He has next to no manners especially for an angel." Lucifer says his voice edged with ice his powers causing the room to become colder, while Alistair walks up to him.

"Let's just say he wants this pretty little angel for himself." Alistair sneers as he brushes a strand of hair over Steff's ear.

"You can tell Michael to shove it up his ass because she is mine!" Lucifer growls, protectively of his young mate.

"We'll see Lucifer…You of all people know how persuasive Michael can be." So with that Alistair smokes out with his companions. Lucifer flies back to Bobby's finding Dean pacing around the room while Sam sits on the couch, worry clear on both of their faces. As soon as they see Steff in Lucifer's arms they rush over and Dean asks, "Is she…?"

"No just tired. Do you have a place I can set her down?" Lucifer responds worried about what Alistair had said.

"Yeah lets put her upstairs. Hey Sam can you go get some towels and a few bandages?" Dean asks noticing the blood now just trickling from her side. Lucifer walks up the stairs to her and the boy's room noticing there is only two beds and with a raised eyebrow he asks, "Where does she sleep?" Dean who laughs a little and says, "As a kid she would sleep with Sammy or I and she never really grew out of the habit. Unless she was pissed then she would sneak out to the barn, the panic room, or if we were on the road the Impala. But when she started to run away we had to chain her to a head board." Dean answers, Lucifer laughs recalling similar problems in Hell.

"Good, at least I wasn't only the only one who had to resort to drastic measures." Lucifer responds, Dean and Sam raise an eyebrow at him, "but that's a story for another time boys lets take care of the task at hand."

So thus begins the process of wrapping her torso in gauze after Lucifer had cleansed the wound. After which Sam lies down next to her and begins smoothing feathers on her back and cleans the blood out of them gently. Then with one last glance Dean motions to Lucifer for him to follow him outside. When they reach the outside Dean asks him, "What happened back at that warehouse, and why did that creep want Steff?"

"That 'creep' was a very old and powerful demon who's currently working for my brother the one who cast me out of Heaven. Michael apparently is jealous of my new mate and will use demons to get her. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts to send angels after her soon. He must want her really bad to be working demons, and I can't imagine the things he wants with her. People think I'm a bad guy… they should meet Michael. He's the archangel that made the rule about bonding. The only reason he could want her is because his last mate has died or left him and is in search of another. Michael has always had an interest in beautiful things even when we were young. In fact when she journeyed to Heaven with Castiel, he told me she had many offers to bond, but hadn't known what that meant so she had said no. When angels get rejected in bond requests word travels quickly, and especially when so many had been rejected. Heaven must have been buzzing about how the new female archangel was refusing bonds. Seeing as there aren't many female archangels, and that must have caught Michael's interest." Lucifer tells Dean gravely.

"Well how do we protect her from them?" Dean asks hoping there is a way to keep her safe.

"You could call Cas and ask him what's going on up there. Though the only way to ensure her protection would be to have her with me at all times, but we both know that would last a day at most. Damn girl is so fucking independent…. So next best thing is to have her stay here, or with you guys at all times. Here if she is wearing this she won't be able to get more than twenty miles away from you." Lucifer says handing Dean a black leather band.

"Why so far?" Dean asks as he inspects the plain black band.

"Because if you're captured she might need to escape, and twenty miles is easier to hide in then two." Lucifer says in an 'isn't it obvious' tone.

"Makes sense, but how am I supposed to get her to wear it?" Dean asks knowing how Steff gets suspicious of his gifts when it's not Christmas or her birthday.

"Here give it to me." Lucifer says as he holds out a hand and Dean places the band in it. Lucifer disappears and when he returns he says, "There she won't even notice it till she tries to leave."

"How long will she have to hide for?" Dean inquires knowing that when she figures this out she is going to be pissed. Lucifer sighs in dread knowing this was going to come up eventually.

"As long as Michael is still alive or until she's dead, and her soul reaches it final destination in the after life." Lucifer answers in a defeated voice.

Six months later

"So you wanna do something today Sammy?" Steff asks Sam, clearly bored out of her mind as she lays on Dean's bed while Sam reads a book in his.

"Steff you know you're not supposed to go out without Lucifer, and he said he was busy today." Sam answers really not in the mood for the game Steff is about to play.

"But Sam I am so freaking bored! I have already organized these books twelve times…. Plus I organized the junk cars by make, model, and year thirty seven times." Steff whines, it's been six months since her encounter with Alistair. The boys had kept Steff near the house ever since in case Michael ever got curious again. They were ready and able to protect her from whatever Michael would send. Though Steff got more and more restless so she would try to fly somewhere, but for some reason she could only fly twenty miles out from the house. At first she thought it was some kind of spell they had done to keep her there, but when the boys went out on a hunt she found out that she had to follow them. Though the twenty-mile rule still held so she had figured that if she wanted to go somewhere far away she either had to have Lucifer or the boys. She still has yet to figure out which brother held the spell, but based on Sam's resistance earlier. She figured that it had to be Dean, or maybe it was both of them… she couldn't tell.

"Fine Sam, I'll just go wait for Lucifer downstairs." Steff huffs angrily at Sam.

"Ok do what you want Steff… you always do. " Sam mutters at Steff not really caring that she's upset especially because this was for her own safety. So Steff realizes Sam is the wrong person to try and pick a fight with so she goes to find Dean. She finds Dean asleep on the couch in the living room murmuring something about vampires being sparkly.

"Well I guess I'm on my own for now." Steff sighs again. She decides to go for a walk outside in the forest and since Steff is so bored she turns into her cat form, then decides to try hunting animals as cat. So Steff then proceeds to try her hand at hunting rodents. The first few mice and voles managed to get away, but on her seventh try she manages to kill a large mouse then several more. She grabs the mice by the tails, and held them in her mouth as she proudly returns to a group of baby foxes. She had found a couple of days ago while wandering the forest in her boredom. The baby foxes are grateful for the food, as they aren't able to hunt for themselves. So Steff catches a bunch more with the oldest kit showing it how to stalk in the grass. Plus making sure to tell it to stay up wind and how to snap its neck for a quick, clean kill. After showing the young fox how to feed its brother and sister. Steff begins to walk back to the house when it gets dark. Right as she decides to walk back she notices a strange presence following her. She looks back to see a gorgeous white cat with the brightest, bluest eyes she has ever seen, compared to Lucifer's pale blue ones. These eyes sparkle in the fading sunlight and with the pure white fur the cat is positively dazzling. Steff finds herself unable to resist the radiant cat, and she doesn't know how… but it feels familiar. Like she's met the cat before and realizes this must be Lucifer's brother. The one she is supposed to be running from, but right now he hasn't done anything threatening nor does he feel threatening. So she allows the strange cat to draw her in as she begins to hesitantly stride towards the frost-colored cat.

"So you must be the famous Steff." Michael states pleasantly meeting Steff halfway where she just nods in greeting still unsure of him.

"And you must be the infamous Michael, the angel I should be running from." Steff comments in an even tone, not even slightly afraid of him after her careful analysis of the situation.

"Ahh yes, I see Lucifer has told you a little of me and my doings." Michael responds with disappointment in his voice, a little mad that Lucifer told her of his misdoings and none of his heroism.

"No not really, other than how you cast him to Hell but I already knew that. I'm talking about how you tried to have me kidnapped. What the hell jackass! If you wanted to meet me all you had to do is come find me… I mean what is it with you angels were you never taught any god damn manners!" Steff shouts angrily at Michael then retreating a few steps. As she turns her back on Michael to look up at the newly risen moon, knowing she should go back soon before they come looking. As if reading Steff's mind Michael says, "You don't have to hide from me anymore… I admit that before it was rude to try and kidnap you… especially with demons… see I was afraid of what my brother had told you of me, and I thought for sure you would either run or call him at the very sight of me." Michael says with regret in his voice and eyes. Steff looks at him and can tell he means this and in his own way he's apologizing. So she transforms back into a human still sitting on the ground staring up at the moon.

"I forgive you… I guess. Why don't you turn into a human so I can get a good look at you?" Steff asks curious to see what his wings look like and the rest of him.

"Yeah my apologies, let's just say my people skills are a little rusty compared to Lucifer's." Michael says with a brilliant smile. When Michael transforms into a human he looks like Lucifer in stature, but he's brighter in disposition and has smile lines where as Lucifer has anger lines. With an easy smile and a face that is easy to trust like hers, she thinks and where Lucifer has dirty blonde hair Michael has pure blonde hair almost white. Michael has four large arched wings like Steff and Lucifer. However Steff notices how similar her and Michael's wings are the only difference between them was that his wings are pure snow white. Both her and his were tipped with dark indigo, now Steff whose only seen Lucifers and her own black wings, gasps at how bright and pure his wings are.

"Michael they're beautiful. Shall we bond?" Steff says playfully as she admires his. Michael who didn't expect her to be so willingly says happily, "I would very much enjoy bonding with you, but first let me release you." So with that Steff unfurls her wings while he destroys the black leather tethering Steff to one spot. While Michael smiles at how well their wings would compliment each other, while he goes to touch his arches to hers. Steff backs away a little and asks, "What will happen to mine and Lucifer's bond if we touch arches?"

"Nothing you will still be bonded to him," and pointing at her other wrist he says, "you will just also have a bond with me too, and it will show on your other wrist but it won't be very thick like Lucifer's because we are just friends." Michael explains with an excited smile. Steff feels how truthful the statement and how he is making no move to withhold information at all unlike his brother. So hesitantly she steps forward and watches as Michael beams reassuringly as the young angel allows the bond to form. They watch as the bands form on the other's wrist. Michael's band is as black as Steff's wings with wisps of dark indigo laced throughout. Steff looks down to see Michael's band form on her wrist pure white also with dark indigo wisps laced throughout. Once the bond completes in a flash of light that is sure to draw the boys or Lucifer to them Steff smiles and quickly says, "You should probably go before they find me. They'll be angry enough already, and Lucifer will be livid that I bonded with you so… I guess I'll see you later Michael, but no matter what he does to me I don't regret this… not for a minute." Steff vows happily as she gives him one last sad look before she turns away, but before she can completely Michael hugs her returning the smile and says, "If you need something do not hesitate to call me I will come. If you need a place to stay you can come to Heaven with me, and I'll show many wonderful things my new friend."

"Thanks, but I couldn't leave Dean and Sam behind… I do it way to frequently as is," Steff admits with a smile to Michael quickly feeling Lucifer's presence closing in, "Seriously though you need to leave now, go Michael I'll be fine."

"If that's what you wish, but my offer will always stand and the boys can come too. Heavens not like Hell." Michael says flying back to Heaven. Steff watches him till he disappears smiling after him.

"Steff where are you?" Lucifer shouts fearing the worse since he can feel his brother's presence also that his tracer was gone.

"Over here Lucifer." She shouts though wonders why she does, because this is almost certain to end in a fight. Lucifer runs over to her and hugs her; glad she's okay and begins looking for injuries. Seeing nothing, but stops suddenly when he notices a white band with indigo wisps on her other wrist, and can smell Michael on Steff's wings.

"WHAT DID YOU DO!" Lucifer shouts at Steff suddenly throwing her back against a tree, the tree snapping on contact. "Steff I won't ask again! What did you do?"

"Lucifer calm down you are going to hurt someone." Steff says in a calming manner, while climbing out of the fallen tree. She thanks God that the boys, and Bobby were still at the house so they wouldn't get hurt in his rage.

"Answer the damn question Steff!" Lucifer spits articulating each word harshly as he gets in her face, causing Steff to shrink back a little at his frightening display.

"We bonded Lucifer, but only as friends nothing like our bond not even close to what we have." Steff responds quickly pleading with him to see reason. "Lucifer I only love you." Steff says so quietly she's afraid she might not have actually said it.

"Steff how could you trust him after what he did to me… and what he tried to do to you?" Lucifer says in outrage and hurt glaring at her in disbelief Steff would do this to them.

"Lucifer our bond is completely fine… in fact look at me, Lucifer just look at me and look at the band, please believe what I'm saying." Steff pleads with him desperately as she puts a hand on the side of his face in an attempt to get his attention; however he just pushes her hand away in anger.

"I can't Steff not after this… all I did for you… when I could have left you to rot in that damn pit… in fact I should have left you there, you disobedient, bitch." Lucifer says hurtfully as he pushes her knocking her back over. He knows exactly what those words what they will do to Steff, and with that Lucifer flies back to Hell. Leaving Steff alone sitting on the forest floor, where she stares at the spot Lucifer had been standing in still in shock. Steff sits there till the moon is high in the sky, and that's when Michael finally flies back down to where Steff is. He just picks her up gently, and she makes no move to stop him then carries her back to where her brothers are talking about whether or not to go out and look for her.

"Dean I think we should just wait she will show up when she is ready." Sam says neither of them noticing the strange angel with Steff curled his arms.

"Sam I'm gonna go get a flashlight then I'm going to find her, you do what you wa…" Dean says, but stops mid sentence as he spots the an angel with wings that are only opposite of Steff's in the base color, approaching and then Dean spots a limp Steff and rushes over, "Is she okay?"

"Yes physically she is fine but…" Michael says and hands Steff over to Dean, "She had a fight with Lucifer and he called her 'a disobedient, bitch' and she suddenly stopped, after Lucifer left. I came back to find her like this completely unresponsive… sorry I can't tell you more." Michael says voice filled with worry for the young angel, as she just lies against Dean's chest still quiet and blank faced.

"Thanks for finding her, but can I ask you who you are?" Dean asks not recognizing the angel, though to be honest he only really knew two angels Castiel and Lucifer.

"I am archangel Michael, Lucifer's brother, and now Steff's' friend." Michael says with confidence. Almost instantly Sam whips out a gun and points it at him ready to shoot. Dean, who is about to lay Steff down, notices her cling to him and says, "Sammy don't! What he did was just a misunderstanding we fixed it… in fact we bonded," Steff says showing her wrist to Sam and Dean, Sam lowers his gun slowly. "Dean put me down."

"Steff what did Lucifer do to you." Sam asks gently when his sister just looks up at the moon avoiding their curious stares.

"Well he threw me into a tree, but it was what he said to me that hurt the most." Steff admits quietly looking down at Lucifer's bond band seeing it has shrunk and now even her new one with Michael is bigger. Michael notices her distress and says, "Give him time he will forgive you. When we bonded I could feel his love through your bond. He just needs time to see the truth, and by next week I'm sure he'll come back. You and I both know how he is when he gets jealous."

"I hope your right, because I don't know how long I can live without him." Steff says sadly and looks at Dean and Sam with a blank stare, "I'm going in, see you later Michael." Steff tells them as she disappears into the house and falls onto the couch in defeat. Bobby gives her a questioning glance, but notices how dull her wings look and realizes its probably not a good thing, so he leaves her alone. Meanwhile outside Sam asks Michael, "Repeat what Lucifer said to her before he left." Michael nods and says, "A disobedient, bitch I think." Dean instantly stiffens knowing he had called Steff that the day the demon had came to capture her after she had killed the rogue wolves. Sam looks at Dean to see if he remembers too.

"Do those words hold meaning to Steff or something?" Michael asks confused that words could cause such pain in such a powerful being.

"Yeah that's what I said to her the day Lucifer first sent his demons to capture her, and he knows how deep those words will sting… that son of a bitch. What did she do to piss him off so bad?" Dean wonders trying to recall the last few days' events not seeing any inherent reason for him to be so cruel.

"Actually I might have an answer for that you see, Steff and I bonded this afternoon and you know how my brother is when he gets jealous. Now had I known this would cause such a problem I wouldn't have done it, so I am afraid I might be the cause of this." Michael says regret clear in voice.

"Its not your fault Lucifer is a dick and he knows how much Steff cares for him. I think he is just pissed at how easily she accepted your bond. When she refused Lucifer for weeks, but that was because he had been withholding information from her." Sam explains to Michael.

"It's late and I think it would be a good idea for us all to go to bed." Dean states wishing this day would just end already. Michael nods in agreement then flies back to Heaven while Sam and Dean go inside to see Steff on the couch with her wings curled protectively around her mumbling 'sorry' in her sleep. Dean leans down and picks Steff up and at his touch her wings unfurl and she curls onto him instinctively. Dean carries her upstairs and lays her on his bed while he grabs clothes for a quick shower he motions to Sam to watch her. Sam who looks up from his book nods 'ok'. Dean wonders what will happen in the morning hoping Steff will rebound in a few days, but is doubtful. When he finishes the shower he walks into the room where he finds Steff awake with a hollow stare as her eyes seep sadness. Dean walks over to the bed and lies down next to Steff who has shifted her stare to the ceiling and he says, "Remember when life was so much simpler, no angels, no confusing emotions; just the Impala, greasy burgers, and fighting evil."

Steff smirks and says, "Yeah is that before or after you would recapture me and handcuff me to Sam?"

"Well if I had to guess I'd say after cause I would have been pissed, Sam would be reading a book, and you would be singing to every song on the tape right in my ear just to make me angrier. Causing Sam to stop reading, start laughing, and singing along too." Dean responds nostalgically remembering that was any given day on the road.

"Yeah, and who needs angels anyway they just cause problems." Sam says with a smile as he looks up from the book and turns the light off.

"Wow that's hurtful you guys, such betrayal, and at the hands of my own brothers too. This is just like a Shakespearian play; seriously guys cut deep." Steff says sarcastically turning to Dean, her wings wrapping protectively around herself, and with that Steff falls into a dreamless sleep. That's how they sleep for a solid sixteen hours when Steff finally awakes she notices something in the junkyard.


	9. Chains that Bind

Without thinking Steff rushes out of the house hoping its Lucifer, but is disappointed when its just Castiel holding some kind of chain with strange symbol in his hands.

"Cas what's the chain for?" Steff asks in confusion as she stops moving towards him.

"I am truly sorry for what I am about to do." Cas tells her with a heavy heart saddened at what is about to happen… at his own hands too. Steff sensing something bad is about to happen tries to fly away, but something is stopping her and Cas puts the chain on the frightened angel as she shakes in his grip. "Steff I will never hurt you, but this must be done... I won't allow him to hurt you." Cas says sadly and begins leading Steff to the cage. Steff tries to fly but the chain holds tight, she tries to break the chain with her grace; but she feels her grace drain when it reaches the cuff holding her. Realizing she's unable to escape, uses what little grace she has to alert Crowley of what is happening. Hoping he will tell her brothers or… or even Lucifer.

Meanwhile in Hell

Crowley who was peacefully writing contracts and drinking whiskey when he finds a message hastily scrawled with Steff's grace he assumes. After reading it, he puts the drink he was drinking on the table. He rereads the message just to be sure he has it correct. Goes to Earth just in time to see Steff finally pushed into the cage by Castiel. As he repeats, "I'm sorry" over and over to her as she curls up with her knees to her chest, and looks over just in time to see Crowley hiding behind some cars watching. A small hope begins to glimmer in her head knowing her note had reached someone at least. Both angels then disappear from the car yard.

Same day, but in a remote corner of Heaven

When they get to their destination Cas, still telling her how sorry he his lets her out of the cage. At that Steff instantly flies as far away from Cas as the heaven will allow. When she gets to the edge she begins pounding on the door that leads out, but it doesn't budge.

"I'm not going to hurt you Steff." Cas says trying to calm the frightened angel.

"Cas, take me home I don't want to be here." Steff sniffles on the verge of tears still frantically pounding on the door.

"Steff you can't leave, at least not yet." Cas answers trying not to worry the girl further by the possibility of being stuck here forever. "This is for your own safety, as I am still your guardian angel. You must stay here till I am sure Lucifer isn't going to hurt you."

"Whatever Cas, just leave me alone." Steff states bitterly as she turns away from him. Cas who sees the girl is upset tries to comfort her in a small way says, "This is still a part of Heaven so you can make it what you want it to be." Almost instantly the two angels are transported to a living room in a house that looks similar to Bobby's house. The only difference is that there is only one bedroom on the second floor, and it is an exact replica of the one Steff shared with Lucifer when she was in Hell.

"Thanks for the tip. Now go." Steff says with finality that makes Cas not want to test her even with her grace still suppressed and with a small nod Cas says quietly, "I will be back everyday with food after my work is done." and with that he heads back to the garrison for his daily orders, and to tend to his prayers. Meanwhile Steff remembering what Cas said about this still being Heaven. Decides to test it then wills a legion of demons to life also her ebony knife that is enchanted to kill demons, and begins fighting them taking her anger out on them. After killing all of them in a few hours she stops to check her wounds. Noticing that they're not healing quickly she realizes her grace must still be suppressed. So limping back to the house for some rest as the sunsets, she notices some food on the table remembering how Cas had said he would return after his work was done. Steff who isn't hungry looks at the food with disdain, and uses a little of her grace to burn it ashes then spreads the ashes into the words, 'Go fuck yourself Cas' onto the table. So with that she retires to the bedroom not bothering to wash the gore off of her wings, or the rest of her body. Not really worried about looking presentable right now. Steff sleeps through the night only dreaming about the first time Lucifer had taught her how to smite demons, and how he had beamed with pride when she took out three at once. She awoke alone with tears rushing out of her eyes in the bed, and then the events of yesterday came flooding back to her. She groans and decides it was time to kill something that looked an awful lot like Castiel. So she produces a bunch of shifters and a silver knife. Then she orders the shifters to shift into Castiel's form wings and all. Steff then proceeds to kill them in the most gruesome ways possible, and when she got done her heaven looked a lot like a battlefield with broken and bloody Cas' everywhere. Some carved up, and others with their throats slit. Lets just say when Cas saw this later he wasn't exactly thrilled. But he figured if killing fake him made her feel better then so be it. He then proceeds to drop off food only to find the note and needless to say he was worried that Steff may be taking this the wrong way. But he figures given time she'll calm down, and Cas could reason with her then.

Meanwhile back on Earth

(In Bobby's kitchen)

"Dammit we always lose her, every time we close our eyes she disappears. Sam when she gets back I am seriously going to chain her to me." Dean tells Sam who nods in agreement. Knowing Dean doesn't mean what he says, he's just pissed because Steff disappeared again.

"You might not want to blame her this time boys." Crowley says suddenly appearing by the sink. Dean and Sam who were just drinking beers at the table are surprised that Crowley had showed up especially with all the devil's traps in the house.

"Crowley what do you mean 'blame her this time'." Dean asks going into protective big brother mode.

"Exactly what I said Dean, she didn't run away she was taken." Crowley says boredly.

"Taken by who Lucifer, Michael, or the pedophile down the street?" Sam inquires.

"No, but those three would've been my first guesses too. But apparently it was actually little Castiel." Crowley states and the boys look at him with doubt, "I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't seen it happen myself. I didn't even know the little buggar had it in him."

"Do you know why he took her? It could be just to teach her some lessons on how to be a better angel or… something." Dean says hoping Cas hadn't taken her for nefarious reasons. He actually likes the little angel and thought it would be a shame for Lucifer to kill him.

"By the way she was chained up, and tossed in a cage… I'll go out on a limb as say it wasn't to teach her some angel lessons Squirrel. Plus when has anyone tried to teach Steff something and manage to walk away unscathed? Even Lucifer has a few scars from the girl." Crowley says smirking at the memory and Dean nods in agreement.

"Okay, but why are you telling us this?" Sam says suddenly joining the conversation again.

"Well seeing how Steff is a friend, and I don't like when my friends are kidnapped. Plus I can see her bodyguard over there is about to kill something." Crowley says with a laugh.

"If you mean shoot something with a single pair of black wings then yes, I am about to summon Castiel and shoot him in the face." Dean says as he picks up his gun.

"Well… uhh… good luck with that hope you find your sister and you might want to get information out of Castiel before you shoot him just saying." And with that Crowley disappears back to Hell. Dean who is tired of waiting prays to Castiel hoping he answers. Cas does and immediately regrets it knowing the Winchester brothers are looking for information on their sister and why he kidnapped her.

"Why'd you do it Cas?" Dean asks in an accusing tone as he lands in the kitchen.

"Can I ask for clarification Dean I do a lot of things each day?" Cas says looking to Dean with confusion on his face.

"Cas don't fuck with us, tell us why and where you took Steff." Sam says tired of these games.

"Yes I took her this morning, and she is in a heaven safe from Lucifer's wrath." Cas says proud of himself.

"What do you mean Lucifer's wrath?" Sam asks in shock.

"What do you mean in a heaven?" Dean also asks in mild shock.

"Even though Steff is an angel she's still my charge, and when Lucifer is no longer willing or able to keep her safe I step back up to the plate. That's why I never really had reason to show up before now because Lucifer was with her, but due to their falling out. I needed to take her some place Lucifer couldn't hurt her anymore at least… physically and that's where she will stay until Lucifer doesn't exude rage at the sight of her." Cas says with angelic authority.

"What has she been doing up?" Dean asks relieved that she's safe at least.

"Well first she tried to fly out of the heaven, but that didn't work so then she created a legion of demons and proceeded to kill them all. Then even more to my dismay she created shifters, ordered them to transform into me, and she has been sadistically carving them up since then. So needless to say her heaven now looks like a battlefield." Cas informs him voice sad with a mix of disturbance. Dean and Sam turn to each other with a glance that says 'my god who knew sweet little Steff had a sadistic side.'

"Well at least she isn't carving you in real life." Sam suggests helpfully to him.

"Plus she is venting her anger in a healthy way." Dean says smiling.

"How is that healthy Dean? The only way you know to get rid of anger is to have sex, or kill something... I should have known some of you would have rubbed off on Steff when she idolized you as a kid." Sam says in a jeering tone.

"Hey its not my fault she thought I was bad ass, plus no one ever idolizes the guy who does research and gets his ass kicked by a little girl like a little bitch." Dean says remembering the time Steff and Sam had come to blows, and after about five minutes. Steff had pinned Sam with a knife at his throat; ready to cut him. Until Dean had jumped forward and grabbed her arms to stop her, and explained that you don't kill your brothers. No matter how many times they embarrass you in front of your ninth grade crush.

"We all know that I have morals and I wasn't gonna hurt a girl even if she had a knife… why would you bring that up you jerk." Sam says defensively still embarrassed.

"Well now that you know she's safe, I actually need to go up and check on some business. Also if Lucifer comes looking do not tell him where she is just say you don't know." Cas says in a hurry feeling Michael calling him. Dean and Sam nod, understanding the danger of telling Lucifer where Steff is at least when he's pissed. That's when Bobby calls from his hunt, and says he needs their help a few states over.

A few weeks have passed since the initial blow up

In Hell

Lucifer is sitting in Hell watching demons torture souls in their pits. He can't help, but feel guilty after what he said to Steff. Knowing those were the exact words Dean had told her before she was almost captured and brought to him. Sighing knowing this whole situation is his own damn fault, and he should just angel up and apologize, but every time he goes to find Steff… a little voice in his head says what if this was the last straw, what if she doesn't want me anymore, what if… the possibilities endless in his mind. Though when he goes over the situation in his mind. He just gets angry because Michael has always wanted what was his even as younger angels they would fight over charges, or what prayers to answer, and how to answer them. Lucifer then begins thinking about how he had practically forbidden Steff from other angels as though she was already… a fallen angel like him. Then he remembers how he had bonded with her first, so that meant she was his not anyone else's right? He made her and he loved her most, only equaled by her brothers. Michael knew nothing of her, not how she would twitch her wings in irritation, or how if she laughed to hard she started to wheeze, or how she would sacrifice everything for her family and… him, as he would do for her. She was truly and utterly his in every sense of the word, but when he came to think about it he had actually never told her this… he just figured his fiery, red haired angel knew how much she truly meant to him. Plus on the last meeting he had left her bashed against a tree under the moon lit sky. He now realizes how much he cares for his angel and how badly he screwed up. Lucifer prepares to fly back to earth to apologize, but he looks at his watch realizing its like two in the morning decides to wait till morning. "It's been a couple of weeks already what's a few more hours." Lucifer mutters to himself.

In Steff's Heaven

It has been weeks since Cas forced Steff into the heaven, and after a few days he took the cuff off of Steff. Even though she had full command of her grace now she still couldn't leave the heaven much to her disdain. Cas had told her that only he and Michael could leave or enter until the spell was released. Michael being a smart angel decides not to seek Steff out, he would let her decide if she wanted to see him or not needless to say she didn't. So for that entire first week Steff slaughtered legion upon legion of shifters that looked like Cas, werewolves, and demons. Cas, who still feared his safety would deliver food only to find it thrown away, torched then the ashes used to write colorfully worded messages about where he can stick the food, or just left alone. Eventually after a few weeks Castiel got curious as to how Steff was still fighting creatures with no nourishment. Knowing exactly how many calories it takes to use one's grace and not die of exhaustion. So in curiosity Cas went inside the house to find Steff, but he doesn't see her and feared she was knocked unconscious by her own creations. After walking about a mile from the house he found Steff unconscious, covered in gore, and grossly malnourished. She was so malnourished that her feathers had started to fall out Cas, and not knowing what else to do calls for Michael.


	10. Angels Hands sorta like a Panacea

"Michael help its Steff, she's very sick, and I don't know what to do!" Cas shouts in panic as he tries to heal her, but his power won't work.

"Cas what do you me…" Michael starts but upon seeing her he immediately knows what must be done, "We need to take her to Lucifer his grace can heal her. Cas drop the barrier, I can protect her from Lucifer if he tries to hurt her." Cas immediately drops the spell and Michael flies down to earth with Steff. He flies to where her brothers are staying, some seedy motel in the outskirts of Wichita Falls, Texas. Sam and Dean are still out hunting so he has the room to himself; he lies Steff down on the bed. He fortifies the room against any attack Lucifer could do. After that he sits down next to Steff then rubs her dying wings and tells her she'll be better soon. When Sam and Dean get back to their room they notice a salt line outside the door had been broken. Dean motions to Sam and Sam notices the break, draws his weapon, and slowly opens the door. They walk in only to be met with a very worried Michael.

"Hey Michael what's up?" Sam asks not noticing the body on the bed. Dean however knowing angels never show up for social calls looks around the room to see a body on his bed.

"That had better not be who I think it is." Dean says thinking Steff finally killed the real Cas, but as he gets closer to the pale, motionless creature he realizes that its actually Steff, "Son of a bitch what happened to her its only been a few weeks?"

"Did Cas tell you that she had not been eating anything and smiting legions of demons, shifters, and werewolves?" Michael asks as he strokes Steff's wing.

"No, Cas only told us she had been killing shifters and demons, but not werewolves or the eating thing…What was she trying to do hunger strike her way out of the heaven?" Sam answers seeing Dean standing by the bed close to Steff to see if she is still breathing she is 'thank god' he thinks.

"When Cas left her food to eat knowing it was stuff she liked. She apparently either burned it then with the ashes wrote Cas some very unsettling notes, threw it away, or just ignored it. I'm actually surprised she managed to kill so many things without food, and now since she is too weak to eat. We need to find Lucifer since they have a similar grace he can heal her enough so she can get better on her own." Michael explains with worry as he looks at Steff.

"Well what are you waiting for? She's about to die call him!" Dean shouts. Steff who hears Dean whimpers quietly, "Dean stop yelling it hurts my head." All three of them surprised to hear her voice. Turn to her and seeing them staring at her Steff asks Dean, "Can you help me sit up, I can't seem to make my arms move very much anymore?"

"Sure Angel care to explain why you decided to go on a hunger strike while still fighting legions of Cas'." Dean asks gently. Steff just smiles weakly and says, "I see you heard about that, well the hunger strike was in hopes to get Cas to let me go home, as you can see it worked… sorta… when I look back on it, I could have thought of a more creative ways to scare the angel. Hey if I don't make it through this tell him I'm sorry for being such a bitch. He didn't deserve to be sadistically mutilated about a billion times." After saying that she stops and starts to close her eyes as her grip on Dean's hand begins to loosen.

"Hey now is not the time for a power nap Steff seriously, bad idea." Dean says trying to get Steff to stay awake and he slowly feels her hand pull away from his.

"Sammy can you come here for a minute?" Steff asks not trusting Dean to do this right without making fun of her first.

"Steff you know you'll make it out of this one right." Sam says voice thick with sorrow and unshed tears.

"Sure and pigs can fly, anyways I need you to do something for me real quick." Steff whispers to him. "Go outside and shout 'Luci I'm coming home'."

"Steff I'm not sure how appropriate that is right now." Sam says looking at her like she's crazy.

"Sam I am about to die just do it!" Steff shouts and with the last reserve of energy. So with questioning glances from Dean and Michael, Sam goes outside and shouts the phrase. In a bright flash of light Lucifer appears in the parking lot with a worried look on his face.

"Where is she?" Lucifer inquires as he turns to Sam with worry.

"What the hell!" Sam says confused to as how Lucifer found them so quickly, Lucifer seeing Sam's confusion explains quickly.

"It's the phrase Steff made so if she was ever near death I could find her quickly, now point me in her direction I can feel her dying." Lucifer explains quickly and Sam points to the motel room. Lucifer walks in surprise on everyone's faces except Steff's.

"I knew you would come." Steff says wearily from the bed with a weak smile.

"Sweetheart I promised I would, and I never break promises. I'm sorry about what I said to you; you know how I get around other angels, but that's no excuse for what I did and how I left you like that. I was just so pissed at how easily you accepted Michael's forgiveness, and I figured after what I had done you probably wouldn't want to see me afterwards." Lucifer pause for a breath, but as he goes to start again Steff stops him.

"Lucifer I only accepted his apology and bond because he was your brother. So he couldn't have meant the whole 'I wanna capture you and force you to bond with me stunt', but when I think about it… that's kinda how I met you and look at how great that worked out…" Steff says pausing to cough then noticing the blood she says, "I am all for heartfelt apologies, but seeing as I am literally about to die. Seriously I can feel my organs shutting down… so you should stick your magic hand inside of me and help an angel out."

"Sure thing Sweetheart, I always love sticking my hand in you." Lucifer says as seductively as possible causing Steff to laugh and it makes her cough up more blood.

"Dude that's our 19 year old sister, she may be an adult in America, but Cas said she won't fully mature as an angel till the human age of 24. So I will still kill you if you hurt her again." Sam says with the Winchester brand of confidence, and with that Lucifer sticks his arm into Steff who begins to scream in pain. Her body automatically begins to try and writhe away from him.

"Someone hold her please." Lucifer asks as he pulls his hand out a little.

"Yeah I got her." Dean says putting his hands on her wings when a thought crosses his mind, and he begins to touch feathers delicately. Noticing how Steff's muscles begin to relax a little at this. So Dean decides to rub harder and Lucifer smiles knowing what Dean is doing, as he moves a little deeper into Steff's soul. When Steff begins to cry out in pain as Lucifer goes deeper, Dean rubs harder and closer to the base of the bones remembering exactly how Steff responded when Dean had done this a few months back on accident. Soon enough Dean has the poor girl panting and moaning into Lucifer's shoulder. Sam and Michael who are now just bystanders are starting to feel a little awkward. Lucifer just chuckles quietly as he feels her soul repairing itself on its own.

"Dean is that really necessary; seriously dude I think your doing that on purpose." Sam comments, awkwardly.

"Yes I agree with Sam. Dean you should stop before she recovers; even though I have only known her for a short time, I know she will be pissed," Michael says to him warily, "Even as a fellow archangel I would not wish to face her wrath."

"Hell hath no fury like a scorned woman." Lucifer quotes in a singsong voice and with his last comment Lucifer pulls his hand out of Steff's midsection and says, "Its your funeral Dean." Dean stops rubbing the wings even though he was enjoying touching them because they were soft and fluffy like petting a kitten and he didn't know why, but it caused him to relax.

"Damn I feel a lot better… Seriously Lucifer you should reach inside of me more... Well seeing as I haven't had a shower in a few weeks, I think I'm gonna go do that." Steff says awkwardly with a blush. When she notices all the men in the room who had heard her moaning and scurries quickly to the bathroom. While in the shower Steff realizes she can't reach the bottom feathers of her wings and the ones closest to where they start. "Hey can someone come help me for a minute?" Steff shouts from the bathroom.

"What do you need?" Dean asks as he turns to the door.

"Someone to wash my wings, I can't get the blood out by myself." Steff shouts back. Lucifer watches as Dean start to walk towards the bathroom, but Lucifer appears in front of him and says, "Coming Sweetheart."

"What do you think your doing Lucifer? You seriously think I'm gonna go let you molest my sister in the shower?" Dean says protectively while trying to push Lucifer back.

"I am not gonna 'molest' your sister. I am simply going to wash the blood out of her wings. Dean you really should get your mind out of the gutter." Lucifer scoffs playfully and heads into the bathroom. Where he finds Steff, still wearing her purple bra and underwear decorated with little black wings, standing in the shower with a bar of soap waiting for Lucifer to come help her wash her wings.

"You know Sweetheart you're supposed to be naked when you take a shower." Lucifer points out playfully.

"Lucifer we may be in love, but that doesn't mean you get to see me naked yet. Plus I know Dean is listening at the door right now, and I'm not gonna have shower sex with you when my brothers are just a thin wall away." Steff says handing Lucifer the bar of soap and turning on the water on hotter, "So can you just wash my wings already?" Lucifer just sighs then proceeds to lather the soap in his hands and begins to massage her wings in a way that he knows Steff can't resist. She begins to moan and pant at the pleasure coming from the sensations on her wings. This causes Lucifer to smile.

"Lucifer please don't stop that feels amazing." Steff barely manages to breathe out quietly.

"Would you like me to...?" Lucifer doesn't get to finish that thought as Steff leans back into him moaning as quietly as possible, but given the situation isn't very quiet at all. Lucifer just raises his eyebrows and smiles as Steff cries out, "Lucifer!" as Lucifer completes 'cleaning' her wings. Steff who is barely able to stay standing up asks quietly, "I don't suppose its too late rescind that earlier statement?" as Steff peels off her now water soaked undergarments.

"Never too late Sweetheart." Lucifer responds half holding Steff up as he allows the water to cascade around their bodies. He doesn't want to force himself on the girl so he snaps a swimsuit on and says; "Steff can you hold yourself up for me this is rather difficult to manage on my own?" Steff nods a weak 'yes' and wills her knees to work. That's when Lucifer snaps a washcloth into existence with body wash on it and begins to clean Steff. After cleaning Steff's body he proceeds to wash her hair and then washes himself snapping the swimsuit off his body after she exits. As she steps out of the shower and wraps a towel around herself. Steff then remembers how she had no other clothes looks to find a very naked Lucifer standing in front of her. Blushing she asks, "Can you snap me some clothes into existence since I'm exhausted?"

Lucifer notices his state of undress and the girl blushing, laughs as he wraps a towel around his hips. While saying loud enough for her brothers to hear and can almost feel them scowl from outside the door, "Sure thing Sweetheart. There is no need to blush considering I have seen and touched every inch of you, its only fair you at least see every inch of me." He hands Steff a new pair of jeans, some undergarments, and a tight, purple, short sleeve shirt that says 'I've been a naughty angel'. Steff noticing the shirt, looks to Lucifer with a glare and says, "I may feel amazing right now but I will still smite your ass. Plus you really don't need to provoke him he is like a momma bear. Do you want to get your face ripped off, because believe me he will. Once after I came back to the motel while sneaking out with a boy he interrogated the poor kid, then scared him so bad I thought the he was gonna have a heart attack."

"Fine, here is this better." Lucifer says and changes the shirt so it says 'Lucifer's bitch' with a pair of black wings framing the words.

"I swear to Michael! Lucifer I am no ones 'bitch' change the damn shirt so that it says something appropriate, or I will stab you with my angel blade!" Steff yells angrily at Lucifer who is currently laughing at how much this angers Steff. Knowing she means business he resigns, and changes the shirt so that it's a just a black and blue plaid shirt. "Thank you Lucifer." She grumbles grabbing him and kissing him passionately. Lucifer who hadn't been expecting that smiles into the kiss and begins kissing back. Sam and Dean who are still dirty and wanting showers open the door to find Steff fully clothed straddling a fully clothed Lucifer and barks, "Alright you two break it up, Sam and I want to take showers and Michael is starting to creep us out. He just turned himself into a cat then sat on Sam's lap, and began to purr then growled when Sam tried to move him off. Plus you guys have been in there for like an hour."

"Very well, where's Michael?" Steff asks, smirking at Michael's antics. Dean points to the pure, white cat lounging on Sam's lap, purring happily as Sam surfs the web, and strokes him.

"Awwwe does wittle Michael like being petted by Sammy." Lucifer croons in a baby voice upon joining Steff outside of the bathroom.

"Lucifer leave your brother be, I am not really in the mood to referee the two of you." Steff snaps at Lucifer and joins Michael in her cat form, then strides over to Sam. Steff jumps onto the table near Sam's laptop and then asks Michael, "Why are you on Sam's lap?"

"Because it's warm, and your brother strokes my fur very well." Michael answers politely still purring from Sam's lap.

"Michael get off of Sam, he's busy… come over here I will pet you." Steff orders turning back into a human then goes over to sit on the couch all the while noticing Lucifer's glare from the bed. Michael strolls over to Steff and settles onto her lap as she begins to stroke him gently, then asks Lucifer innocently, "Lucifer be a dear and hand me the remote."

"Here you go Sweetheart." Lucifer as he hands the remote to her. Steff flips the TV on noticing it's them in the shower with Steff moaning loudly. She quickly flips the TV off, but she never notices Dean enter. With fire in his eyes he quickly crosses the room, he had dressed in the bathroom, and shouts, "Steff what was that?"

"Umm… if I said a crappy documentary about bears would you believe me." Steff says innocently to him as she glares at Lucifer.

"No." Dean responds coldly, "So you gonna tell me what was on that TV."

"No I am not gonna tell you, especially because what I do with him." Steff says snottily as she gestures to a smiling Lucifer, "Is none of your business, even if he is a jackass sometimes."

Dean not liking the answer he receives from Steff says, "I think its time for the angels to leave." Michael quickly jumps off Steff's lap. Lucifer walks over to the couch and offers Steff a hand, but before they can fly away Dean interjects, "Steff I would like to talk to you about something." Steff groans and Lucifer gives her an apologetic smile as he grabs Michael.

"Hey Michael, there is something I wanna show you in South Africa it has to do with sharks." Lucifer tells Michael as they fly off. Once they're gone Dean walks over to Steff.

"So you and Lucifer… How's that going?" Dean asks cautiously, not wanting to start another fight about her mate, which still made Dean slightly uncomfortable. Since she was his sister, plus Lucifer was like a trillion years older than her.

"Please tell me you are not gonna give me 'the talk' because your like six years too late Sam beat you to it." Steff says tiredly as she gives Dean a bored look.

"Wait… Sam gave you 'the talk'?" Dean asks curiously remembering how their dad just handed him a condom and said be safe.

"Yeah he started to tell me after that night you interrogated the poor boy who took me to the movies back in Colorado, but I stopped him before he could even get five words out… told him I already knew, he seemed relieved. Seriously between fighting you, him, and the supernatural I think I have enough knowledge to stop any forced sexual act even if it's from Lucifer. So… yeah good talk see you later." Steff says as she stumbles over the last few words, but right when she's about to fly out Dean grabs Steff by the arm.

"That's not what I wanted to talk about." Dean says sadly.

Sensing the sadness in his voice Steff gets serious, "Dean what's really wrong?"

"Michael told us some very interesting news about what happened up in Heaven, and what Lucifer said to you." Dean looking at Steff eyes full of regret, "you know I never really meant those words I said to you, well at least the mean ones." Dean tells her as she turns to face him.

"Wait is that what this is all about some hurtful words Lucifer rehashed from a few years ago. To be perfectly honest Dean I don't blame you for what you said. I mean my own father never really cared that much he only came around a handful of times, but you Dean… you and Sam cared for me when you could have easily dropped me off at Bobby's or some orphanage. So I just want to thank you for that and sorry for all the trouble I caused you." Steff says with tears in her eyes remembering some of their previous arguments that had turned particularly nasty resulting in Steff running away. Resulting with Sam having to go track her down and drag her back, only to have her ignore them for days.

"Well I can't speak for Dad, but I can say that from the moment you held a gun to my face I knew you were a Winchester; and that you would be a fantastic huntress someday. Plus Sam wasn't any worse than you; at least when you ran away you actually killed evil things. Sam just ran away to be away from the lifestyle completely." Dean says; Sam who had got done showering and was hiding out in the bathroom listening to the conversation decides to make his presence known.

"Speak of the devil himself." Dean says with a humorous tone.

"Sam how was your shower?" Steff asks pleasantly knowing Sam knew Dean was talking about him.

"Well it sucked considering you guys used all the hot water." Sam says bitterly shaking the water out of his hair like a dog.

"Stop complaining at least you didn't have to sit through the crappy bear documentary." Dean says to Steff with a wink.

"Dean you know you're like a walking 'she said' joke sometimes." Steff states to Dean while seeing Sam stare confusedly.

"Well Dean has always had a way with knowing what women would say Steff." Sam says with a smile.

"You guys are just jealous because I have a way with the ladies." Dean says smirking confidently.

"Sure we are." Steff and Sam say in unison.

"Hey guys can I crash on the couch? I don't feel like finding Luci in South Africa." Steff asks as she looks at the clock on the wall.

"Luci?" Dean says with disbelief and Sam starts laughing imagining the big bad devil reduced to a cuddly pet name by their sister.

"Here you can share my bed with me." Sam says after he finally stopped laughing. Steff mumbles her thanks and turns into her cat form curling up on Sam's bed as he lies down on it. Dean in the meanwhile turns off the light and crawls into the other bed smiling at Sam and Steff, who still looked fierce even as a black cat with indigo tipped: ears, paws, and tail. After an hour of listening to their breathing settle down till it's a slow steady rhythm causing Steff to be sure the boys are asleep. She goes out and smites the vampire coven Sam and Dean were hunting.


	11. Demons and their Wars

Several years have passed since Steff and Lucifer got back together. Steff who just had a birthday a few months back is now 24 and a full-grown angel. Nothing much had changed except for that she was now stronger than Lucifer and Michael. However one the only things that made her more powerful than Michael and Lucifer, is that she was not confined to either Hell, Earth, or Heaven. But could come and go as she pleased between the realms; so could other angels it was just very difficult for them. Steff could do it as easy as walking in and out of a door also the fact that she had a stronger soul than most. This was always an advantage for her, till Alistair and his fallen angel right hand man Azazel decided they should rule Hell and Lucifer should go take a hike. Thus began the civil war in Hell; Lucifer had many loyal demons, but Alistair was a very charismatic demon and managed to take about two thirds of Hell with little or no casualties to his massive army. Though Lucifer and his comrades had put up a good fight they knew it was a lost cause and when the castle… their last strong hold had fallen, they knew it was all over. When that day came and Lucifer had told no one on of his war he had going on not even Steff. So when Lucifer's demonic lieutenant Bahzemet shows up in the motel room where Steff and the boys had been staying with Lucifer. With him being gone so much lately Steff had started hunting with the boys again. So after Bahzemet appears with a bloody and nearly unconscious Lucifer barely hanging onto the demon's shoulder Bahzemet states gravely, "Hell has been lost. You need to keep him safe while I go back, and save the others."

"What the hell!" Steff shouts in confusion reaching out to catch a bloody Lucifer, then carrying him to a bed.

"I don't have time to explain. After the others are safe we will regroup and explain the situation if he hasn't healed by then." Bahzemet says wearily his exhaustion showing, and with that he disappears. Dean who had just got out of the shower notices Lucifer lying on his bed bleeding out, "Did you really have to put him on my bed?"

"Dean I need you to help me so put on some clothes quickly and get over here." Steff says with a serious tone as she positions Lucifer on the bed.

"Uhh sure," Dean says as he throws on clothes quickly, and then walks over to the bed, "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to hold him down while I inject grace into his body. You're going to have to hold him tight. He will probably try to fight you, but just hold him down." Steff states seriously as she sticks her hand into Lucifer and starts to give him some of her grace to heal his weak body. Lucifer almost instantly tries to move, but Dean had him by the shoulders and was pinning the tops of his wings down with his knees. Steff who had been leaning over him sits on top of him in an effort to stop him from moving.

"Lucifer chill, I'm almost done." Steff says soothingly as she pushes her hand a little deeper. Lucifer still tries to fight weakly, but slowly he quiets down only to notice Steff has pulled her hand out, and still sits on top of him. Just to be sure he can't injure her or Dean. At this exact moment Sam walks in, back from getting food and says jokingly, "Damn am I too late for the orgy?" Dean just chuckles then gets off Lucifer and so does Steff.

Lucifer who finally realizes where he is and the people around him and says tiredly, "Samuel you are never too late for an orgy… I always wonder why Steff was so experienced in the arts of pleasure."

"Glad to see your feeling better Luci, now care to explain the situation in Hell." Steff says casually ignoring his last comment.

"What situation in Hell? Hell's fine… in fact better than ever although we are under some construction so you really shouldn't go down there right now." Lucifer lies as he fiddles with a loose feather on his top wing.

"Don't lie to me Morning Star, Bahzemet told me Hell has fallen but he didn't specify to whom it had fallen to." Steff says impatiently not really in the mood for his lies.

"Well… uhh… you see… let's just say Hell has came under knew management." Lucifer says dancing around the subject, although he knows she's pissed because she never calls him that.

"What do you mean 'new management'? Did Crowley finally overtake you?" Steff says hopefully.

"Actually that wouldn't be that bad. The man has a knack for causing pain and suffering, but no. Sadly it seems Alistair and Azazel want to try their hands at ruling." Lucifer says with disappointment.

"Awww not those asshats, their complete idiots. Only skilled in physical torture, those sadistic bastards." Steff says disappointed it wasn't Crowley whose idea was to make it like a never-ending line at the BMV, now that was real torture in her opinion.

"Well now you understand my disappointment, and that's why I had to use my army to wage war in Hell. However as you just heard it seems I have failed, but worry not I'll get it back Steff. I always win in the end." Lucifer says with confidence trying to reassure her. Dean and Sam who are just quietly eating at the table and listening to the conversation. Steff is now mad and a little disappointed because Hell was her home too… and if it was in danger than he should have told her. Also pissed because Lucifer didn't ask for her help. So she just sighs in frustration as she goes and grabs a hamburger from the bag, looks at it, then puts it back and says, "Whatever Lucifer good luck." Then turns to the boys and lies, "I got some stuff to take care of with Michael so don't wait up. I'll meet you guys at Bobby's in a few days." And with that Steff flies off to meet up with an old friend in Rockland, Maine.

"She is beyond pissed." Sam says knowingly while looking at Lucifer.

"You got that vibe too." Dean comments agreeing with Sam as he takes a bite of his burger.

"I should have told her, but I never figured this was gonna happen." Lucifer says regret heavy in his voice.

"Hindsight 20/20... Seriously Lucifer you should have just told her. I would go see what she and Michael are plotting." Dean suggests to him knowing his sister always had a way of getting revenge.

"Probably not a bad idea." Lucifer says in agreement before flying off to Heaven in search of Michael and Steff. Lucifer finds Michael in his usual heaven, but not Steff.

"Lucifer, I didn't expect to see you here with the situation in Hell. Where is Steffanie?" Michael asks curiously thinking how strange it is to not see Steff with Lucifer.

"I thought she was with you…. Though it appears she has lied to me." Lucifer replies with a sigh, then in attempt to find her real location as he searches the bond. Coming up with nothing though he knows she's alive, and not in current danger just doesn't know where.

"Michael, I can't find her location but I can feel that she is fine. Can you try with your bond?" Lucifer asks his brother. Michael closes his eyes for a minute then opens them and says; "She is fine, but just like you I can not pin point her location. Do you want me to ask Castiel, he might be able to find her?"

"No, its fine… and besides if she can block you and me don't you think she could hide from Cas as well." Lucifer retorts, angry that he has lost Steff yet again plus Hell all in one day. He thinks 'That girl is harder to control than a damn Hellhound.' Lucifer flies angrily back down to the Winchesters and says, "Seems your sister is lost to all of us again, not even Michael could find her."

"We learned the hard way… that she'll show up when she is ready to again. Don't blame yourself she was always a slippery one." Dean answers casually not to worried about Steff simply because she was nearly impossible to kill.

"She's probably killing something in Canada, or… something. If we see her we'll send her your way or call you." Sam says reassuringly. Lucifer nods his thanks and flies to Bahzemet to regroup and take back Hell.

The Battle for Hell

Lucifer with what was left of his legion of demons, and a few fallen angels fly down to Hell. The first few skirmishes go in Lucifer's favor and with little causalities on his side. The siege for Hell lasts about two months in Earthly time, but in Hell it feels like twenty years. In that twenty years Lucifer has taken back most of Hell, and killed all of Alistair's allies that they had come into contact with. The only remaining territory left to take back was Lucifer's castle. Lucifer prepares to assault his castle with only Bahzemet and his main fallen angels Samael, Marchosias, Xaphan, and Bernael. They force their way into the castle smiting or stabbing anything that tries to stop them. The team blasts into the throne room where it appears Azazel and Alistair are making their final stand with about 150 demons.

"Well, well it seems we meet again Alistair." Lucifer sneers as him and his fallen advance toward Alistair, smiting demons on the way.

"So it seems we do…. Now Lucifer lets not be hasty we can talk this through… maybe we can come to an understanding seeing as I have something you may want… though I'm not sure how much you'll want after what happened." Alistair says tauntingly to the archangel as he advances with a bit of hesitance.

"Umm… besides Hell what else could you possibly offer me?" Lucifer asks as his angels smite demons while they advance towards Alistair and Azazel.

"Well I do happen to know for a fact that your precious little angel has been temporarily removed from your radar. Didn't you ever wonder where she went?" Alistair asks with a sadistic smile. When he says that Lucifer immediately flies past everyone, and uses his power to kill everything in between him and Alistair. He then pins Alistair against the wall behind the throne, and yells in a batman voice, "Where is she!"

"My, my did I strike a nerve Lucifer?" Alistair huffs out, "Put me down and I'll tell you." Lucifer puts him down and Alistair walks over to where his fallen angel companion lays, "Well the good always die young." Alistair states sadly.

"What have you done with his mate Alistair?" Xaphan demands as he creates a ring of hellfire around Alistair.

"I did nothing except take initiative. See I found Steff and another huntress by the name of Jo I think, on the beach enjoying the sun… so I captured Steff and killed the other. Steff was a feisty one Lucifer, well she was… until I ripped her wings off then took the angelic grace out of her soul and tossed her to my demons. Even though I told them not to they had they're way with her then when her body could take no more physical abuse I had her publicly executed." Alistair lies wishing he had been able to capture Steff, but it had actually only been Jo he had killed on that beach. Steff had escaped with the help of Castiel. Lucifer knowing nothing of this backs away in horror at the fate of his mate. While Xaphan and Marchosias hold Alistair down Bahzemet comes over, and rips Alistair's throat and heart out in one quick motion then Samael smites him. Bernael walks over to a hollow looking Lucifer and says triumphantly, "Lucifer, Hell is ours again!"

"Leave him be Bernael can you not see he is grieving the loss of his mate." Marchosias says bitterly while walking over to a blank faced, kneeling Lucifer.

"Lucifer does her family know yet." Samael asks gently. These words seem to jolt Lucifer out of the trance he was in; he looks around the room to find his friends looking at him with pity. All of them had had mates before they fell except for Bernael and Samael, and they knew how distressing the loss felt… the utter loneliness that accompanied it.

"Probably not, I need to go tell them. Can you guys handle things here?" Lucifer asks them hollowly.

"We shall see to the rebuilding. When you come back we shall have Hell back in order." Marchosias states confidently as she gives him a sympathetic look.


	12. Reminiscing but in an Awkward

So with that Lucifer flies up to Bobby's house, and stands at the front door about to knock. However he pauses when he realizes what he has to tell them. He lets his hand fall back down to his side, and that's where he stands for about a minute or two before the door opens. Where he is met with an all to familiar face of a smiling Dean. Dean who notices his bad mood asks, "What's wrong? Man this is a party not a funeral."

"How can you celebrate at a time like this? Don't you realize what's…" Lucifer starts but before he can finish. Steff appears from behind her brother then proceeds to tackle Lucifer to the ground in a hug. "He said you were dead." Lucifer stutters out from the ground.

"Who Dean, I know he's a jackass sometimes but I don't think he would lie to you about my death." Steff says in confusion wondering why Dean would provoke Lucifer… on her birthday of all days.

"No, not Dean. Alistair said he… captured you and killed Jo on a beach." Lucifer says in disbelief while staring up from the ground with Steff over top of him.

"He killed Jo, but Cas got there in time to save my ass." Steff says softly remembering how Alistair had done awful things to Jo before he finally killed her.

"I'm sorry Jo had to die like that, I know she was a great friend to you for many years." Lucifer says sadly, though glad that his mate is still alive.

"Well that's what happens when angelic huntresses have human friends, so how was the fight for Hell?" Steff asks changing the subject.

"I'll leave you two alone, but don't forget Sammy wants to give you something." Dean says as he goes back into the house leaving Steff on top of Lucifer. Lucifer sits up and Steff wraps her wings around his and cuddles into his chest as he wraps his arms around her.

"I won though I lost many good demons, all of the fallen survived except for the ones who stood against me. After we had stormed the castle Alistair and Azazel with their guards retreated to the throne room. Me, Bahzemet, and the fallen seized the room where we smited the demons guard and killed Azazel. But Alistair started talking about the sadistic torture he did to you and Jo. I'm glad they ripped his throat out when they did otherwise I might have killed Cas for not saving you." Lucifer says thinking about how he would have blown up an island of Hawaii too if Alistair had been right.

"Well he didn't so leave Cas and Hawaii alone. Plus smile a little you just got Hell back and this is a party." Steff points out having heard his thoughts about Hawaii, and then begins kissing Lucifer. Who responds by deepening the kiss and after about two minutes Steff pulls back breathless.

"Why are we having a party Sweetheart?" Lucifer says jokingly knowing it's her birthday.

"I guess if you have to ask then you aren't allowed to come." Steff tells him sullenly wondering if he actually forgot her birthday.

"You know I'm only joking, how could I forget my little angel's birthday; though I regret to tell you I don't have a present." Lucifer says with a smile.

"You can make it up to me later." Steff suggests her voice heavy with implication. Lucifer just smiles and raises his eyebrows slightly thinking of a few things that they could do.

"Hey idjits get your asses in here." Bobby shouts from the porch while glaring at them.

"We better get in there before Dean tries to give you the boyfriend speech again." Lucifer says to Steff.

"Or we could stay here and kiss on the ground then have sex in Dean's bed later." Steff suggests playfully and Lucifer just sighs.

"I may dislike your brother sometimes, but that would be a little uncalled for don't you think Steff." Lucifer responds while he pulls back.

"Fine, though who knew you had standards." Steff says surprised a little.

"Only for you Sweetheart. Shall we go before someone has a heart attack in there." Lucifer says as he gently pushes Steff off his lap, and picks her up bridal style then starts walking toward the house.

"Lucifer put me down, this is very awkward." Steff says while trying to wiggle out of his hold.

"Stop moving, or I'll put you over my shoulder. Think about how awkward that will look." Lucifer suggests while still walking towards the house.

"I didn't want to do this, but I will if you don't put me down." Steff warns him while pouting from his arms.

"What could you possibly do to me?" Lucifer asks curiously. Steff reaches her arm around to the back of Lucifer's wing and pulls a feather while shoving her grace into it. Lucifer gasps at the sensation, and immediately drops Steff who lands on her back on the ground dazed with a loud oomph. After he catches his breath quickly his picks her up back up before she can move, and puts her over his shoulder.

"Put me down Lucifer, I am not a friggin child!" Steff shouts in frustration and is about to knee him in the throat when he grabs a few of Steff's feathers and pulls.

"Luci stop, or I swear to Michael I will call Cas to come save me." Steff says warning him. Lucifer doesn't stop, and suddenly he hears a flutter of wings. He turns to see Castiel glaring at him like he's a momma bear and Lucifer has her cub by the neck.

"She told you to put her down." Castiel growls ready to immobilize Lucifer.

"Cas help me!" Steff shouts and instantly she is standing next to Cas and gives him a hug.

"No fair! I don't have a guardian angel to save me from you." Lucifer pouts and walks into the house.

"Thank you Cas really, seriously best guardian angel ever. In fact I want you to have this." Steff says as she pulls out a small ebony box with Enochian symbols carved into it.

"What is it?" Cas says as he cocks his head to the side.

"Just open the box and see. Michael helped me with the symbols they mean 'to Castiel shall you forever be my guardian'." Steff tells him excitedly hoping he likes it. When Cas opens the box he sees a black feather edged with indigo on a simple silver chain.

"Is this one of your first feathers?" Cas asks slightly astounded while smiling.

"Yes, Michael told me how much this means to other angels. He said it was the greatest show of friendship… I figured since were such great friends on how many accounts you've saved me from being mauled, mutilated, or eaten. I thought you deserved this as a reminder of how much I appreciate you." Steff says gratefully. Cas lifts the necklace out of its box gently and holds it up to the setting sun. Watching how the black feather shimmers in the fading light.

"I shall cherish this forever Steff… truly I will and I too consider you a great friend…. Even after you sadistically murdered about a million shifters who looked just like me." Cas says with a playfully smile.

"Hey I didn't really mean it… I was just angry because I couldn't go talk to Lucifer. Though I'm glad you did that cause honestly that really patched up our relationship pretty well… The party is still going on, you're welcome to join us. We're about to have some cake Dean made and hopefully didn't burn." Steff suggests hoping Cas will stay.

"I really should go back to Heaven," Cas says but noticing the slight glimmer of sadness in her eyes decides it can wait, "But I guess I can stay for Dean's probably not burnt cake." Steff smiles bigly as Cas puts the necklace on and begin walking toward the house. However when he gets into the house he notices that Steff wasn't following him like he thought.

"Hey Cas where's Steff we thought she was with you?" Sam asks with a neatly wrapped box in his hands.

"Why are you wearing a feather?" Lucifer asks noticing that it was one of Steff's first and smiles, remembering how she had gave him one after their argument.

"Dude did she seriously just leave again…. Can someone get me a friggin leash for that girl?" Dean asks as he scrubs his face in frustration.

"I would let you borrow mine, but Steff doesn't like when we share our toys." Lucifer says with a smirk causing her brothers to raise their eyebrows.

"Dude not enough brain bleach in the world." Dean says in disgust.

"Why does that bother you Dean, you have seen the girl doing worse things." Cas says with confusion.

"Dean what does Cas mean?" Sam asks curiously.

"Sam you really don't want to know… trust me I wish I didn't know." Dean warns and Sam just blinks in confusion.

"Boys do you remember that knife I bought Steff for her eleventh birthday. The one I promised to get her if she earned most of the money. Did anyone figure out how she got the money for that?" Bobby asks them having never quite figured it out himself since she wouldn't talk about it, reminded of it when Steff had taken it out to polish it this morning.

"No." Everyone says, but Cas… since he was her guardian angel he knew some of the awful things she had done for that knife.

"I figured she just stole money from you guys or pickpocketted someone." Bobby says with a shrug.

"That's weird I figured she sold something or asked Sam for it. He could never refuse the kids puppy dog eyes." Dean tells them. Lucifer who has no idea what they're talking about listens quietly because Steff doesn't talk about how she got the fancy knife that she always has in her left boot.

"Well Dean, its not like you resisted very well either. When she did them for seven hours straight in the back of the Impala because she wanted to go play with the puppies at Bobby's house. But no I didn't give her the money." Sam states matter-of-factly.

"Then how did the kid get the money? Cas do you know how she got it?" Bobby asks and all eyes turn to Cas who just stiffens.

"Yes I know, but it is not something she would be proud of. It was my doing that she wasn't kidnapped and killed after she got paid." Cas admits sorrowfully. The men begin wonder what the she must have done.

"Why didn't you stop her Cas?" Dean shouts in horror beginning to imagine some of the terrible things his sister possibly could have done for the money to get the knife.

"Dean she did nothing like that, but she would tell the men she was lost and they would offer a ride or some money and take her to a bus station. However if the men tried anything she would either knock the man unconscious and steal a few dollars. Then sneak her way back into the motel, or sleep in the car depending on whether you guys were both asleep or awake looking for her." Cas lies knowing the real truth, but not wanting to tell them only to have her yelled at when she finally returns from wherever she is. Though if Cas had to guess where she was he could. Simply based on the reoccurring nightmares she was having lately.

"Oh, well that is not as bad as I thought it was gonna be." Dean says a little reassured that a knife didn't turn his sister into a child prostitute. They all just stand there looking to Cas for more of an explanation, however that's when Steff shows up.

"Well I suppose its time for Sam to give me that present." Steff says with a smile as she enters the room suddenly.

"Where did you go we were about to send a search party?" Sam asks as he hands her the box and she opens it to find a book about fallen angels.

"Thanks for the book, and not that it's any of your business but I just had some angelic things to take care of. I'm twenty-five years old I got stuff I need to do." Steff answers angrily because she was an adult she didn't need monitoring.

"Sweetheart just answer the question please." Lucifer questions gently, not wanting to upset her. Sam and Dean are just standing there glaring at her; meanwhile Bobby looks at Steff in pity. Lucifer just keeps his eyes down cast. Then there's Cas, who has been standing in a corner timidly, and was looking at the bookshelf in an attempt to avoid Steff's cold gaze.

"Cas did you tell them about how I got the knife money?" Steff asks, seeing the pity in everyone's eyes and knowing it's the only explanation at least right now.

"Yes." Cas answers sullenly reminding Steff of a kicked puppy.

"I see well this is kinda awkward… I think I'm gonna go take a walk in the woods." Steff says and with that she turns herself into a cat then disappears into the night. The men all realize that this is probably the shittiest birthday she's has ever had. Even when she was in Hell Lucifer would celebrate her birthday by allowing her to see how the boys were doing through a special mirror. The boys decide this is one of the things she is going to have to come to terms with this on her own and go to bed. Bobby who was supposed to be manning phones goes into the library, and starts reading the newspaper while waiting for a call. Lucifer who was the current ruler of Hell, and there was still rebuilding to do goes back down. Cas who has prayers to answer disappears back up to Heaven.

In the Forest

Steff wanders around aimlessly in the forest having no real destination in mind. After walking around for a while she quietly climbs her way up into a tall oak tree. Steff sits in the tree staring up into the full moon for about an hour before she notices a pure white cat. That can only be Michael walking around the forest looking for something or more likely… someone. She assumes one of the men asked him to come find her, since Lucifer was busy rebuilding his kingdom. Michael, who was indeed looking for Steff wanders around the forest till he notices a flash of blue eyes sitting in a tree gazing up at the moon.

"You know I don't need a babysitter anymore." Steff replies in a bitter tone. Michael just silently climbs up to sit next to Steff on the branch, but when he gets there he watches Steff jump to the ground then change back into a person walking away from him.

"I know that, I just came to wish you a happy birthday and give you a present." Michael says as he jumps down to the ground, changing back to a human also.

"Happy birthday…that's funny Michael." Steff replies sarcastically.

"Well be that as it may, regardless happy birthday Steff. Here." Michael says handing Steff a small brightly colored box.

"Michael you don't have to give me a present." Steff tells him while handing the box back to Michael. Michael stares at Steff, wondering why she was so somber today as he pushes the box back into her hands.

"This is for you, so open it before I take you back to the heaven Cas forced you into." Michael says with a huff. This gift had taken him awhile to make, and dammit she was going to open it if he had to force her to.

"Very well." Steff resigns when he glares at her. When she opens the small box she finds a black crescent moon with a periwinkle lily wrapped around it hung on a simple silver chain. Steff gingerly lifts the necklace out of the box, and holds it out to Michael. "It's beautiful Michael. Can you put it on me?" Steff asks with a smile as she turns to the archangel.

"Yes, turn around." Michael answers, while Steff turns around and lifts up her hair. Michael then slips it around her neck and clasps it close. She notices when the charm hits her skin she can feel the cold nip of Lucifer's grace. Looking back at Michael with a curious glance she asks, "Is that?"

"Yeah I made the design, then had Lucifer fuse some of his grace into it so you could keep better track on him. Plus with your guy's bond you should now be able to pin point his exact location even in Hell." Michael responds brightly.

"Thank you Michael, this is one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received." Steff speaks with a small smile forming on her lips. She begins walking with Michael back to the barn not really ready to face the others after earlier.

"Wouldn't you be more comfortable in the house with your family?" Michael asks confused as to why she would want to sleep alone in a dirty old barn. He can't fathom why she would hide from them.

"No, I'm fine right here." Steff says voice heavy with sorrow.

"Very well." Michael says sensing the girl is probably about to cry continues, "Would you like me to leave?" Steff shakes her head with a yes and Michael walks out to find the Winchesters to see what has saddened Steff so much. When he arrives in the house he notices Bobby sleeping on the couch with a newspaper resting on his lap. Michael listens to Bobby's breathing to make sure he didn't wake the older hunter and creeps up the stairs to find Dean and Sam debating whether or not to go look for Steff.

"There is no need to look for her I found her and she is in the barn." Michael suddenly interjects. Sam and Dean who were arguing stop and look at Michael.

"Well in that case, I'll go get her." Dean says and starts walking that way.

"No Dean, she wishes to be alone. Do you know why she is upset tonight?" Michael inquires as he stops Dean from leaving.

"Cas finally clued us into how she got money for the fancy knife she keeps in her boots." Sam answers.

"Do you mean the ivory handled one with an ebony blade and Enochian symbols carved into it?" Michael asks remembering how she had prayed for his assistance when she was young and carving the complicated symbols into the blade. She had heard from a witch that it was possible to make such a knife, but she couldn't do it on her own.

"Yeah that's the one." Dean says and Michael shivers as he remembers how the young girl had done awful things for the ebony knife.

"Oh well that explains it completely." Michael responds understanding her behavior completely. He stares at the boys and ask, "What did Castiel tell you?" Dean then tells Michael what Cas had said. Michael knows it's a lie, but makes no move to show it.

"So how is she?" Sam asks worried about her.

"She is currently crying in the barn." Michael informs them sorrowfully. After hearing this Dean begins to walk to the barn ignoring how Michael said she wanted be alone. Dean reaches the barn and stands outside the door listening. The only sound he hears is a soft sobbing, so he opens the barn door gently. Steff who was curled up with her knees to her chest on a cot in an old horse stall instantly goes silent at the sound of the door opening.

"Steff it's just me." Dean says gently hoping Steff won't fly off. Steff says nothing and stops her soft sobbing. As she tries to make herself small as possible so Dean won't find her. Dean figured she wouldn't say anything so begins to look around for her. He slowly walks around the barn searching the loft, the office, and where they keep the weapons. Leaving the stalls for last he slowly walks over to them saying, "Steff come on out, I just wanna talk to you."

"Dean go away, I don't wanna talk to you." Steff replies knowing Dean won't give up until he at least finds her. Dean follows the voice to the last horse stall where he opens it to find Steff still curled on the cot with tears streaking down her face. As he goes to comfort her, she flinches away from him.

"Come on don't be like that." Dean says with mild scolding. Steff just curls up tighter and Dean sighs then picks up his shaking sister holding her bridal style. He begins to walk back to the house with her when he notices how easily she accepted him carrying her. Dean stops, with pity in his eyes and says, "Angel we all do things we're not proud of, but you just got to let it go. Live in the present not the past." As soon as Dean says that Steff knows that neither he, nor anyone else will really understand what she feels or how bad she feels at the death of her friend.

"Yeah well Dean you really should have been a therapist." Steff mutters bitterly as she rolls out of his arms landing on her feet and continues, "now let go I can walk, I'm not a child and after what Cas told you. I would think you of all people would know this." After saying that she walks quickly into the car yard trying to escape from the look of pity she sees in everyone's eyes lately. Steff knows that Dean is going to get angry, but that's what Steff wants. She wants the anger; even if it's just hurtful it's better than feeling the nothing at all she has been feeling lately after Jo's death. So Steff sprints all the way over to the edge of the car yard and is about to dash back into the forest, when suddenly Dean tackles from the behind.

"Where do you think your going?" Dean spits angrily at Steff, "You're gonna tell me what's been eating at you lately, because until I can be sure you aren't gonna go get yourself killed. You will stay right here on the ground with me so get comfortable Angel."

"Fine, I guess we are gonna be here awhile." Steff says stubbornly knowing he won't understand her pain.

"Don't make me get Lucifer or Bobby. One way or another you are gonna tell me what's wrong." Dean declares while he ties her hands together.

"Oooo I'm shaking in my boots." Steff retorts fighting the ropes.

"Well I thought you might say that so I called in for back up anyways. Sam she is all yours." Dean says with a smirk.

"Dude did you seriously tie her up… you make this seem like a kidnapping." Sam says untying the rope from Steff's hands.

"Thanks Sam." Steff says gratefully while rubbing her wrists where the ropes had chaffed them.

"So are you gonna tell me or will we have to find someone else to coerce information out of you?" Sam asks lightly not wanting to force it out of her, but he will if need be. Steff contemplates telling them, but she decides not to and right when she is about to run. Dean grabs her wings and holds on tight.

"Dean you have a grip like a pro wrestler." Steff shouts angrily at him while trying to twist out of his grip.

"Just tell us, maybe we can help." Sam pleads with her.

"You can help by leaving me alone and letting go of my wings if you don't want me to smite your ass." Steff barks furiously at Dean.

"You wouldn't dare." Dean threatens.

"Test me Dean, and you'll find out." Steff threatens as she raises her hand, and it starts to glow with power.

"Alright you two this is solving nothing." Sam says calmingly as he steps between them.

"Fine." Dean says letting go of Steff's wings, which she begins to shake out but stays there.

"Now care to tell us what your deal is." Dean asks angrily. Steff realizes she could call Cas for evac, but she would still be radiating self-hatred. Plus Dean might try and clip her wings if she ever came back to them which if she thought about it she could runaway and never comeback… but something tells her she could never truly leave them.

"Jo's dead and it's my fault I couldn't save her… She would still be alive if I hadn't run away from Lucifer and went to hang out with her. She would…" Steff doesn't get to finish as Dean starts.

"You can't know that. Plus it's not your fault you were surprised by a shit ton of demons even for two angels that's quite a task. From what Cas said you had tried to save Jo, but the demons had surrounded you while they killed her."

"I should have done something anything. I should have been the one to die not her. She had so much going for her a house, and a husband… now it's all gone thanks to me." Steff says as she begins to sob and falls to the ground in tears. Almost instantly the boys anger dissipates and Sam leans down to comfort her. But as he nears her she turns into a cat and hisses at him. Sam backs off and watches as Steff walks over to a mysterious black cat.

"Lucifer!" Steff exclaims as she tries to push the traces of despair to the back of her mind, she begins to rub herself on the cat's black furry body in greeting.

"Actually it's me Castiel. Lucifer and I look very similar in cat form only difference is the ears, mine are tipped white." Cas explains while tipping his head down to show her. Steff stops rubbing her fur with him.

"So it would seem. Anyway what do you want?" Steff asks while she coughs.

"I'm here to give you a birthday present. I see Michael gave you his." Cas says with a smile as Steff turns back into a person.

"Yes he came by earlier." She says with a small smile holding they charm in her fingers.

"Well here is mine." He says turning into a person while handing Steff a box. Steff opens the box to find a new pair of black leather cowboy boots carved with enochian symbols along the top of the boots but other than that they're plain.

"What does this mean?" Steff asks while fingering the engraved symbols.

"To my most difficult charge, I shall forever watch over you." Cas says thoughtfully.

"Thanks Cas, they're great." Steff says as she admires the quality of the leather before putting them on. She notices how much better they feel compared to the old, worn out ones. Taking the knife out of the old pair and is about to place it in the new boots. But she notices them all staring at it. "The symbols they warm when the supernatural are near, plus it never needs sharpening."

"How did you know about the symbols?" Cas asks curiously not remembering ever telling Steff the symbols.

"I prayed to archangel Michael when I was younger… I thought since he was the general of Heaven he could guide me through the process." Steff says as she puts the knife into her new boots and says with a yawn, "I think I'm gonna go to bed so see you guys later." So with that she disappears into the house and walks into the boy's room then falls asleep on a bed.

Back outside

"Thanks for stopping by when you did Cas, I'm pretty sure she was gonna bolt again." Sam says thankfully to Cas.

"No problem I sensed her intentions and figured it would be best to stop her." Cas responds with a shrug, glad it was the least he could do to make the young angel feel better about her tragic loss.

"Even if she had to do weird stuff for that knife its pretty kickass, Sam did you know she still had that?" Dean asks a little jealous that he never thought of something like that, but then again he never believed in angels until his sister was actually one.

"No I didn't know. I figured she didn't have knives anymore since she usually smites demons now, instead of stabbing." Sam tells him as he looks to Dean.

"Good point, Cas being that it is the middle of the night I think I'm going to turn in. Sam you coming?" Dean states as he walks back to the house.

"Yeah." Sam says following Dean back into the house. When the boys walk in they see Bobby at his desk reading in some ancient tome. Bobby looks up from his book with a small smile and says, "She went upstairs." They nod in response and head upstairs to sleep. Sam falls into his bed and almost instantly falls asleep. Dean however notices Steff lying on his bed peacefully and sighs thinking how emotions flare high with her then as quickly as they come, they dissipate almost like a summer thunderstorm. Then he moves her slightly over so he can lie down, and when he does she tries to snuggle into his back. Dean chuckles quietly as he rolls so he is facing her and she curls up so his head is on top of hers with his arms around her, and he smoothes a few feathers down. Dean smiles at that listening as Steff's breathing evens out no matter how old she gets Dean will always do this for her… because this was his… "Daughter." Dean whispers quietly to her as he falls asleep.


	13. Why Dean Winchester Hates Witches

(Three months later)

Dean hates witches for obvious reasons, but it's usually because whenever they go to kill one. They almost always turn someone into an animal as a final attack. It usually happens to Dean because he has such a sharp wit, and is usually the one to deliver the killing blow… or is stupid enough to taunt one. Very rarely did it ever happen to Sam or Steff because they were a little less smart mouthy to witches, and a little more dexterous in physical movements. So needless to say when they went hunting for a witch: and Sam ended up knocked unconscious, and Steff stuck under a pile of rubble with broken wing arches also unconscious. Dean the only one left standing begins to run at the witch with a knife in hand, but before he can get to far she shoots a ball of glowing light at him. Though before it can hit him he throws the knife, and it sinks deep into the witch's chest killing her. The ball of light hits Dean, and knocks him hard against the back wall knocking him too unconscious.

A Few Hours Later

Sam and Steff awake a couple hours later to the sound of a yowling cat. Sam who isn't trapped under rubble gets up shakily and calls out for Steff.

"Sam I'm over here, and I think my wings are broken. Can you see Dean anywhere?" Steff manages to whimper out even with the searing pain coming from her wings.

"No all I can see is a very loud, angry cat yowling at the body of the witch." Sam says while helping her move the rubble off of herself.

"Dean where are you?" Steff shouts while looking around only seeing the cat. After no answer she notices a large tomcat sitting at her feet, staring up at her with very familiar green eyes. "Sam what was the witch doing to people here?"

"She was turning people into animals, why?" Sam answers, wondering why Steff would need that information right now.

"I think I found Dean." Steff says as she gently picks up the cat. "Dean try to say something."

"Meow." Dean meows at her.

"Hold on I'll fix this." Steff answers while touching a finger to Dean's head and pushing her grace into his body trying to fix the spell. But finds that she can only fix his voice so he can speak, and discovers he will have to wait the spell out.

"Well come on already, I don't want to be a cat." Dean says loudly.

"I can't fix anymore, so you'll just have to wait it out. Good news it only seems to last a few days or two weeks tops." Steff replies cheerily, but gasps in pain when she accidentally knocks her wing against a shelf. She drops Dean, but Sam catches him before he hits the ground.

"Hey watch it! Wait are you okay?" Dean asks worriedly.

"I'll be…" Steff tries to finish but ends up blacking out, while her body turns into a tiny kitten because maintaining her kitten form is easier than her cat form or angel form. Plus it will allow her wings to heal quicker, with less chance of her bumping them. Dean pads over to where Steff lays, and picks her up by the scruff of her neck. He then begins walking out of the building and toward where he had parked the Impala. Sam just shakes his head in disbelief that his older brother, and younger sister are cats. When Sam finally arrives at the Impala he notices Dean twitching his tail impatiently with Steff sleeping near his paws.

"Come on Sam this is not the first time this has happened, and if you haven't noticed we have an injured kitten who I would like to get back home before predators come out." Dean meows impatiently at his younger brother who just glares at him.

"You're bossy, even as a cat Dean." Sam states as he opens the door and watches as the seal lynx point, tomcat gently jumps onto the passenger seat and puts Steff on the black leather next to him. Dean then curls his body protectively around the small-injured kitten.

"Just drive the damn car Sam." Dean hisses bossily. Sam nods and drives back to the motel to get their stuff then starts to drive towards Bobby's. When all of a sudden a white cat appears in his lap. Sam shouts, startling Dean who hisses out a warning at the cat on Sam's lap.

"Sorry I meant to land in the back seat it's only me, Michael." Michael says apologetically. Dean stops hissing, but his fur is still standing up and his tail tip looks like a tiny dagger pointing at Michael. "Where is Steff? Lucifer said she was hurt, but he's unable to come and Cas is busy with another charge." Michael asks looking around for Steff.

"She is sleeping. So leave her be." Dean growls protectively. Michael then notices the small black kitten with indigo tipped paws, tail, and ears curled into Dean's side.

"I see… then I shall just wait here until she wakes." Michael replies noticing how much more protective he is of Steff when she is like this.

"Can you wait on the seat or something?" Sam asks, uncomfortable with the cat on his lap.

"Oh yeah, sorry about that Sam." Michael apologizes as he jumps onto the floor on Dean's side of the car. Dean growls at him when he tries to approach Steff's sleeping form.

"Dean knock that off, its just Michael." Sam scolds Dean. Dean who notices how he and Steff are cornered picks Steff up gently, and crawls under the backseat.

"Dean where are you going? I will not hurt either of you." Michael assures him trying to persuade the over protective cat to come back up front with Steff. Sam just looks at Michael with a tired look on his face says, "Leave him be Michael. He is overly protective as a cat."

"I can see that, I shall stay up here with Sam." Michael answers and jumps up onto the leather beside Sam. Sam then proceeds to pet his head gently, which causes Michael to start purring. This is how the ride goes for about three hours or so until a black cat suddenly appears next to Michael. After Michael, Sam kind of expected Lucifer so he's not really that surprised as he continues driving.

"Hey Lucifer." Michael purrs pleasantly while Sam scratches under his chin.

"Hi, I see you two but where's Dean and Steff? She is no longer injured, or at least that is what the bond is telling me." Lucifer says curious as to where she could be. When all of a sudden he sees Dean curled around a sleeping kitten under the backseat.

"Why did Dean hole himself and Steff under the seat back there?" Lucifer asks curiously.

"Whenever Dean turns into a cat he gets fiercely over protective, and when Michael tried to heal Steff he hissed then hid them back there. When Steff was just human and this would happen he would herd her around, and always sit in her lap or near her. It used to be kinda funny till I took Steff out to a restaurant without him. When we got back he jumped onto me and I had to sit through three hours of angry hissing and meowing." Sam says, Lucifer laughs at this but the realizes that if as long as Deans a cat he is probably not gonna see a lot of Steff.

"How long is this spell supposed to last?" Lucifer asks hoping its not to long.

"Steff said a few days or two weeks max." Sam answers him as he drives off toward the exit that said South Dakota.

"I imagine Steff will remain a cat with Dean for the time being." Lucifer guesses.

"Probably even if it's just to torment Bobby and I." Sam tells him. Hearing this Lucifer sighs and lies down on the seat. Michael seeing his distress walks over to his younger brother and licks his ears trying to comfort him.

"Don't worry you shall have your mate back soon enough, she just doesn't want her brother to feel alone." Michael says trying to comfort him.

"I suppose, but I needed to ask him and Sam something very important." Lucifer says as he backs away from Michael. He had forgotten how affectionate his brother was as a cat.

"Well I'm still human so shoot." Sam says curious as to what the devil could possibly have to ask.

"I was wondering if you had any objections to me asking for Steff's hand in marriage?" Lucifer asks cautiously knowing that the Winchester brothers were very protective of their sister just like she was of them. Sam who is a little surprised at his question answers with a question, "Aren't you guys already married in angel terms?

"Yeah… but I want to ask her in the human way, so as I believe humans say; do I have your blessing?" Lucifer asks looking for any signs of no. Sam looks as if he is considering saying no just to fuck with Lucifer, but since he was the ruler of Hell and an archangel he decides against it.

"Yeah go for it, but good luck getting Dean to say yes... he's not gonna like this. Did you ask Bobby yet?" Sam asks him.

"Yeah he said if anyone could hold onto Steff it was probably gonna be me. But warned me to watch out said she was a hell of a lock picker, and had a mean right hook." Lucifer repeats reverberating Bobby's words verbatim.

"Yeah she was the one who actually taught me to lock pick so well." Sam admits.

"Yes I too wish you good luck with Steff. She has always been a difficult according to Cas." Michael comments pleasantly, one of the reason he liked being a cat around the two younger Winchesters was because they would always pet him… it was very relaxing like a deep-tissue massage.

"Are we almost there." Comes a tiny mew for under the seat.

"Steff how are you feeling Dean wouldn't let anyone near you?" Michael asks as he pokes his head over the top of the seat looking down at the kitten crawling out from under the seat.

"I feel fine just a little sore. Why did Dean stick me under there with him?" Steff asks while turning into her normal cat form, and stretching her limbs purring as the joints pop into place. However where her wings would be still radiates pain, but she just brushes it off.

"You know how Dean gets when he turns into a cat. Plus you were the tiny kitten and Michael scared him." Sam answers quickly.

"Hey where's Cas he's the only one missing?" Steff asks noticing all the cats in the car. It made her think about the box of kittens she had talked Sam into taking from the side of the road.

"I was busy, but the problem resolved itself." Cas responds as he appears in also in his cat form.

"You two look scary similar as cats." Sam states while driving; Lucifer smiles, and jumps over the seat to sit by Steff.

"So how goes rebuilding Hell Luci?" Steff asks while lying down next to Lucifer and intertwining her tail with his.

"It has been rebuilt and in my absence I put Crowley, Bahzemet, and the fallen in charge." Lucifer remarks quietly as he notices her sleepiness.

"Well that's nice I'm sure they will keep Hell well." Steff says sleepily.

"Go back to sleep Sweetheart, I'll wake you when we arrive." Lucifer whispers quietly, and he leans closer to her. Steff just nods her head and falls asleep next to Lucifer on the back seat. Then Cas falls asleep while Sam was petting his head and Michael too falls asleep while sunbathing in the sunlight that came in through the windows. Dean was still asleep under the back seat.

"You guys make me feel like a crazy cat lady." Sam says out loud.

"Love you Sammy." Steff whispers right before she drifts into sleep fully. Sam hears this and smiles from the front seat looking back at the two snuggling cats sleeping on the back seat and then the two lying on the front seat. He continues scratching Cas' ear, and glances at a sunbathing Michael. Sam drives like that for another two hours before Dean wakes up and causes problems. Dean wakes up noticing the smell of Sam, Steff, and Michael but also that Steff isn't next to him anymore. Assuming the worse he puffs his fur, and begins to growl lowly from under the seat. Sam hearing his asshat of a brother hissing whispers harshly to the back, "Dean shut up you're gonna wake everyone up!" Dean quickly stops hissing and begins to crawl out from underneath the seat. The first pair of cats he notices is Steff and Lucifer, knowing that black furred duo anywhere. He is about to hiss when he recalls what Sam said so he jumps up onto Sam's shoulder and then down to sit in his lap. Sam who was driving notices how Cas and Michael are snuggled up with each other, Michael has his head on top of Cas'.

"Dean would you like me to pet you, or are you just gonna glare at Lucifer and Steff through the rearview mirror?" Sam asks close to laughter because he has never seen a cat look so angry.

"Sam I am not glaring, just looking and yes I would enjoy being petted… because I'm fluffy and you know you wanna pet this." Dean says smugly as he smirks up at Sam. Which kinda creeps his brother out a little because Dean looks way to natural as a cat.

"Damn Dean you caught me, I have always wanted to pet my brother." Sam says sarcastically.

"You thought you could deny yourself, but hey no hard feelings just next time don't be such a bitch about it." Dean answers just as sarcastically.

"Jerk." Sam responds and with that he begins to move his hand through Deans silky soft fur. "Dude you feel like someone bathed you in fabric softener."

"I know. Could you move a little to the left?" Dean asks and when Sam finally scratched the right spot Dean starts purring.

"Dean are you purring?" Sam asks incredulously, having seen his older brother do a lot of things but purring was not one of them.

"No, I'm just vibrating on your lap because you're receiving a text." Dean retorts sarcastically. Sam chuckles, but goes back to petting a purring Dean, and after about another hour they arrive at Bobby's junkyard. Bobby who hadn't been expecting them at 11:30 in the morning walks out to the car, only to find it full of cats.

"Boy what the hell! Did you let Steff talk you into picking up a box full of cats again?" Bobby asks while staring at the five cats in Dean's car.

"No I didn't let her talk me into that again," Sam announces while he opens the door and all five of the cats rush out, "Dean got himself turned into a cat and Steff had hurt herself and reverted to a kitten. So Michael showed up to heal her, but Dean wouldn't let him. Apparently he decided to wait till he would then Lucifer showed up, and I think Cas just showed up cause he was bored." Sam explains as he watches Steff tackle Dean out of the car and to the ground.

"Steff leave Dean alone he might bite you." Sam shouts at her and runs to grab Dean before he retaliates. Lucifer, Cas, and Michael pad over to where Bobby is watching Sam wrestle Dean away from Steff who is on the ground trying to get Sam to drop Dean.

"What is she trying to do?" Cas asks as his head bobs up and down watching as Steff jumps trying to get Sam to drop Dean.

"Currently she wants to play with Dean, but Sam is afraid they'll hurt each other. So he is attempting to keep them separated." Lucifer answers as he watches Cas' head bob with a smile.

"How can you be so sure Lucifer?" Michael asks as his head begins to bob with Cas'.

"Steff and I fight like that all the time… Though it's usually Marchosias that has to stop us before we rip each others throats out." Lucifer tells the men casually now laughing because his eldest brother has begun the head bobbing. They watch as Sam holds Dean above his shoulders while Dean hisses at Steff, and Steff is still jumping up trying to get at Dean.

"Sam put him down I want to play with him." Steff demands playfully. She had always wanted to see who would win in a fair fight.

"Yeah Sam you heard the lady put me down." Dean hisses at Sam.

"No you guys will hurt each other or break something. This isn't our house you know." Sam replies matter a factly.

"You idjit put Dean down and get over here." Bobby shouts at Sam. So with that Sam reluctantly puts Dean down and walks over to where Bobby, and the three cat brothers are watching.

"So did Lucifer already ask you about the thing?" Bobby asks quietly still trying to keep it a surprise from Steff.

"Yeah I told him to wait for Dean's answer at least until he isn't a cat anymore." Sam responds as they watch the cats roll in the dirt trying to pin the other.

"Probably a good idea Dean gets weirdly protective as a cat. Hey weren't they right over there?" Cas says as his tail gestures to the spot Dean and Steff were just at.

"Awww hell we lost them in a junkyard." Michael says and Lucifer turns to him and asks with a smile.

"Michael did you just swear? Who knew archangel Michael had it in him."

"Shut up Lucifer and help me find the damn cats." Michael spits at him.

"Michael chill Steff's an angel and Dean's a cat I'm sure they'll be fine… if they don't come back tonight we shall go scour the planet for them." Lucifer responds coolly and with that Bobby and Sam head inside to go to man the phones. While the angels all return to their posts in each realm. Bobby and Sam get busy that night so they never notice when Dean and Steff don't show up.

That night

Steff and Dean were wrestling on the ground rolling around, each trying to pin the other. When Steff finally manages to pin Dean under her she notices that they were no longer by the house, but deep in the woods about a minute away from the pond in the middle. Which Steff knew for a fact was about ten miles from the house.

"Dean lets go back before Sam sends a search party." Steff suggests as she gets off Dean, and shakes the dirt out of her black fur.

"Yeah you're probably right we'll give Sam an aneurysm if we don't get back soon." Dean agrees as he too shakes the sticks and debris from his dark brown fur.

"Hey I'll change back and fly us to Bobby's; it will be quicker like that." Steff suggest, but when she tries shift back into an angel she can't. So she tries again and feels like she is going to get sick and speaks worriedly to Dean, "Dean I don't mean to alarm you, but I can't shift back and I don't know why." Steff begins pacing by him nervously, knowing from the basics about angels that Cas told her a while ago that this was very, very … bad.

"Well that's okay we can just walk back… no big deal Steff, don't get so bent out of shape." Dean responds without worry as he watches his sister pace.

"Dean you don't understand we're cats, and I can't summon my angel powers. If something decides we look tasty, or the supernatural happen to find us like this." Steff replies as panic settles in, but she manages to subdue it slightly as she feels the pain in her back come back again.

"When you put it that way we should probably hurry." Dean says while walking a little closer to Steff incase of attack. The two cats begin to make their way back to the house. When suddenly a large man walks out of the brush holding a cage. Dean hisses, but Steff jumps in front of him and bites the strange man's leg.

"Go Dean, I'll hold them off go!" Steff shouts as she jumps onto the other man who started towards her brother. Dean wanting to stay and fight jumps at the other man, Steff sees Dean jump on the other man and she shouts desperately, "Dean go I can handle them, tell S…" Steff doesn't get to finish the sentence as she's slammed into a tree, and falls limply to the ground leaving a smear of blood on the tree trunk. The man who had been fighting her scoops her up, and puts her into the cage roughly.

"Now Dean be a good little kitty and get in the cage." The strange man says to Dean.

Dean responds by hissing and jumping claws flexed at the man holding the cage. The man laughs as he easily bats Dean against tree knocking him too unconscious and slips him into the cage with Steff.

"We got them boss…. They were stupid enough to go out alone… although the angel put up a good fight she was no match for the both of us." The man reports to his boss on the phone triumphantly.

"Good, now bring them back to me." The boss responds with a creepy laugh.

The morning after

Sam wakes with a start in his bed after having a terrible dream. He dreamt that shifters in the forest had kidnapped Dean and Steff. Sam gets up and finds Bobby in the library manning phones.

"Did they ever come back?" Sam asks quickly as he looks around the room for them.

"I don't think so… I haven't seen hide nor hair of them this morning, and you know those two can't hide this long…well at least Dean can't." Bobby says worriedly thinking about the alternatives.

"Hey have you had any shifter activity lately?" Sam asks praying his dream wasn't true.

"No, but a few hunters called about vampires a few towns over." Bobby answers wondering what Sam could be thinking. Sam rushes out of the front door and follows the scuffmarks, broken brush, and paw prints. When he comes to the end he notices two pairs of boot prints and specks of blood on the ground then a on the trunk of an oak tree. Bobby who had followed Sam out in his rush notices the blood.

"You don't think something got them Sam do you?" Bobby asks suspiciously.

"Not if Steff was alive. She has those powers and I'm pretty sure a few vampires wouldn't have been a problem." Sam says and wonders out loud, "But what if they figured out how to stop her powers if only long enough to catch her and Dean."

"Is that possible? They're just vampires." Bobby asks voice full of surprise.

"I don't know… but I know someone who might. Lucifer, Michael, and Cas its Sam. I found blood and boot prints but no Dean and Steff. We need your help." Sam shouts up to the heavens. Sam and Bobby look around and suddenly Michael and Cas are at the spot on the tree and Lucifer is squatting by the blood on the ground.

"This is definitely Steff's blood, but it tastes weird." Lucifer tells Michael from the ground.

"How do you know what Steff's blood tastes like normally?" Sam asks cautiously.

"I don't think you wanna know Sam." Lucifer tells Sam.

"This is Dean's blood on the tree." Michael states, while Cas was looking around and he inspected a boot print.

"They were vampires and they know exactly who they have taken." Cas declares suddenly while looking directly at Lucifer and says, "They wanted Dean, but Steff was a bonus they plan to keep her as a slave to them."

"Cas how can you tell, it was just a boot print?" Sam asks in slight awe at his ability to figure it all so fast.

"They left a note." Cas states plainly, to the group.

"Cas give me the damn note." Lucifer mutters angry that the vampires think they can take his soon to be betrothed, and brother in law and get away with it. So Cas hands him the note.

"What are you gonna do?" Sam asks curious as to how a note will lead them to Dean and Steff.

"Sam I'm the ruler of Hell do you seriously think I can't figure out where these vampires are at? Your doubt in me is a little depressing Samuel, seriously. Plus… I've got the guy who banished me to Hell, and your sister's guardian angel; between the three of us I think we should be able to find a general location." Lucifer spits angrily at Sam.

"Lucifer leave him alone he's just worried for his sibling's safety." Michael snaps at Lucifer.

"What I wanna know is why you guys never felt her distress?" Bobby asks quietly. All three angels turn to Bobby who had not really been talking a lot, and stare at him suddenly curious as to why none of them felt her or even Dean's distress.

"Did anything happen at the witch's place, anything unusual besides her turning Dean into a cat and Steff reverting to kitten form?" Lucifer asks Sam.

"Umm… no not anything weird. She slammed Steff into a wall and rubble fell on her then knocked her unconscious then knocked me unconscious also." Sam tells Lucifer trying to think of any think that would count as unordinary.

"You said she was injured earlier, do you know what kind of injuries?" Lucifer asks trying to rule out all possibilities here.

"She said her wing arches, I think… Why does it matter?" Sam responds wondering why that could be very important, they're just bones.

"Damn it all straight to fucking Hell! I knew I should have checked her over." Lucifer curses angrily.

"That explains why she couldn't turn back, but not why we can't find her." Cas says still confused about why he couldn't even use his telepathy he had with her.

"Wait how does that explain anything?" Bobby questions.

"Angel's wings are very sturdy until the arches are broken. Once the arches are broken the body will release a large amount of grace so the angel can still keep fighting if need be. But once the fight ends the grace still flows heavily, though not for too long if the soul senses other angels around to reset their arches. Which is why her blood tastes weird and since she turned herself into her cat form. Her body won't be able to change back until Lucifer resets the bones in her wings. But he can only do that once the grace stops flowing, which if I am correct should last about another day or two. Until then she will be nearly indestructible with all the grace flowing, but once it runs out she will be in agonizing pain. Unable to stay conscious for more than a few hours at a time." Michael explains to the humans who nod in understanding.

"So in other words we need to find her now." Lucifer says summarizing quickly while he begins to pace anxiously.

"Can you take us to where they are?" Sam asks as he watches Lucifer pace with worry.

"Not yet because with her wings broken her body won't send out an SOS till the grace runs out, but we shall pin point their location in a day or two when it runs out." Michael informs them sadly.

"Hopefully they can last until then." Cas mutters quietly.

Meanwhile

The first few days being trapped in the cell were okay. Since both of them were in and out consciousness for the first two days. However on the third day Dean changed back into a human, and became fully aware of the situation.

Third Day

"Hey Steff wake up." Dean says while shaking his sister who was still sleeping.

"What Dean I'm trying to catch up on my sleep before something eats us." Steff responds still groggy from sleep.

"Well how about we figure a way out of here, before something eats us. Also can you snap some clothes on me its really cold?" Dean asks as his sister stands up and walks over to him. When Steff tries to turn back into her regular form she notices that she still can't.

"Uhh yeah … here." Steff replies while still trying to figure out why she can't change back. Because it's been three days any spell would have wore off by now, and any poison would be out of her system. Dean notices the look of confusion and pain on Steff's face and asks, "What's wrong, you hurt?"

"No, at least I don't think so…. I just can't turn back and every time I try to access my grace it hurts… really bad...but I think I can still give you the clothes. Give me a second…." Steff says while using a little of her grace to manifest Dean some clothing. She gets his clothing, but nearly passes out from the pain accompanied with it. As Dean puts the clothes on he notices Steff who is whimpering in pain quietly on the floor.

"Hey Steff stop trying to use your powers, you're gonna pass out." Dean voices worriedly.

"Dean I'm not even trying to use my powers." Steff gasps out in pain. Until now the brother and sister had thought they were alone in the cell, but out of a corner stalks a gray cat.

"Well long time no see Steff." The mysterious cat says with a British accent. Steff turns around quickly knowing the smell of scotch, and a British accent could only be one of two people.

"Balthazar is that you?" Steff asks the strange cat as she pushes the pain from her mind trying to focus on him.

"Yes Darling the one and only." Balthazar says while walking over to where Dean is standing.

"Balthazar isn't that the angel that has like ten bonds, and Lucifer got angry when he kissed you on Bobby's porch." Dean states plainly still looking for a way out.

"Well I can see my reputation proceeds me. But yes I am that Balthazar, and based on the gruff description Steff gave me all those years back… I'm assuming you must be the lovely Dean Winchester." Balthazar states with a smug look on his face.

"Well now that we have all established who we all are. Balthy how long have you been here?" Steff asks barely able to breath from all the pain coursing through her body.

"About a week, these men are apparently vampires who need an angel for a sacrifice. Well they found one of my charges, and like an idiot I came down to save him then they surprised me and put this cuff on me." Balthazar recalls as he shows the cuff to them.

"Wait, why don't you turn into your regular form and smite your way out of here?" Dean asks as if that is the obvious answer to their problems.

"Dean don't you think I would have done that if I could." Balthazar says while sneering at Dean.

"Alright you guys this is getting no one out of here. Balth I'm gonna go out on a limb, and say the cuff blocked your access to most of your grace… plus if I remember don't you just like to chill in your cat form." Steff says still in pain but it's receded enough for her to think clearly.

"Yeah, that's why I don't change back. Darling what's wrong? " Balthazar answers with worry noticing Steff's pain.

"Nothing just sore from the fight." Steff lies knowing this has something to do with her broken wings that she had thought she healed.

"Steff don't lie to me I can see right through it. I'm an angel of many lies so I can spot one a mile away." Balthazar says while walking over to her, but as soon as he starts to get close enough to see her wounds she starts to back away.

"Balth I'm fine, let's just focus on getting out of here." Steff suggest hoping he will back off before he notices the gash bleeding on her side; that she had reopened when she got up earlier and her broken wings.

"Steff stay still I just want to look, Dean grab her please." Balthazar orders. Dean nods and grabs Steff quickly before she can run and feels the blood on her fur.

"What the hell Steff, you're bleeding." Dean says while holding her in his arms tightly.

"I'm fine guys, really. Dean put me down." Steff begs noticing Balthazar advancing towards them back in his angel form. Balthazar walks over to them slowly and puts palm to Steff's furry head. He slowly channels the little grace he has available, and begins to heal the cut. But once he moves down her spine right where her wings would be he notices how she starts to squirm and try get away.

"Steff hold still, I'm not gonna hurt you." Balthazar assures while pushing his grace into her back and at that Steff screams out in pain.

"Balth stop please." Steff begs him desperately. Balthazar and Dean having never heard her voice laced with so much desperation put her down on the ground. They notice that she falls to the floor with a grunt, as she lies down weakly at Dean's feet.

"Balthazar what is wrong with her?" Dean asks worriedly.

"Her wings are broken." Balthazar says sadly, shivering at the memory of when Cas had accidentally broken his wings during a training session when they were younger.

"Well can't you fix it?" Dean says plainly as though the process was easy.

"No, once an angel is bonded only the grace from their bonded can fix an injury this bad." Balthazar informs him sadly. After hearing this Dean picks Steff up from off the ground and holds her gently in his arms. Steff was unconscious for the rest of the day only waking once or twice a couple of hours, and when she did she always asks the same question.

"Dean when is Lucifer coming for us?" Steff asks groggily.

"Steff I don't know but he is probably on his way now, with Sam, Michael, and Cas. So can you hold on just a little longer? They're probably just forming a plan, you know how Sam is with plans… the guy loves structure." Dean explains hoping Steff won't die in his arms as a cat in this moldy cell.

"I'm sure they're on their way for us." Balthazar adds reassuringly.

"See even Balthazar says it too so it must be true." Dean says while gently petting Steff.

"Sure Dean, I don't doubt it for a second." Steff mumbles weakly before falling back into a light sleep. Balthazar looks over his shoulder where he notices someone sticking a bowl through the slot in the door.

"Here, its for the girl." The stranger says.

"Yeah thanks, but what is it?" Balthazar says cautiously going to pick up the bowl.

"Just water the boss doesn't want his pets dieing on him after we worked so hard to catch them." The stranger says to Balthazar and with that he leaves. Balthazar picks up the bowl and pushes little grace into it to cleanse it, just in case the man was lying. Once he is satisfied the water is safe, he brings it over to where Dean is sitting with Steff in lap whimpering. Dean takes the bowl and puts it near Steff's head and she drinks a few mouthfuls.

"Did anyone pray to the angels yet?" Steff asks still weak from the pain.

"Yeah I prayed to all of them about an hour ago. Though I don't know if they heard it." Dean answers.

"I'm sure they did Dean." Balthazar says while smiling reassuringly at Steff who lifts her head weakly just enough to give a small smile.

About four hours later

Dean and Balthazar were sleeping peacefully against a cell wall, but Steff was awake and moved off Dean's lap gently then walks to the door. Where she heard two men talking outside the door.

"We should just kill the angel before Lucifer comes for her."

"Jack we can't do that, the boss says he wants her alive." A man argues.

"But, Clyde she is gonna die anyway along with the other angel. Plus we only need one angel for the spell anyway." The voice now identified as Jack says with frustration.

"That may be, but I don't fancy getting my head taken off for not obeying orders." Clyde answers bitterly.

"I don't see why the boss would want her alive. She will never submit to him or anyone else. In Heaven she denied everyone else's bonds, but Michaels." Jack states.

"True, but I don't make the orders I just follow them and besides if Azazel wants the girl we'll give him the girl." Clyde says with a tone of finality. After that the men start walking away Steff walks back to where the other two are sleeping, and sits twitching her tail in anticipation.

"Lucifer, please hurry." Steff prays desperately.

Meanwhile

Lucifer had been pacing around in Hell waiting for something that would tell him where Steff was. When suddenly he hears a voice in his head that whispers, 'Lucifer please hurry'. Immediately he flies to where the voice takes him, and comes to an old run down prison. On the inside he can feel Steff, Dean, and another angel but he's not sure whom it is. Lucifer flies about a mile back and calls for his brothers and the fallen. The group of fallen angels and his brothers meet him in the forest.

"What is it Lucifer?" Marchosias asks curiously.

"I have found her and Dean." Lucifer says with a small smile, glad to at least know she's alive.

"Yes I can feel her, she's in a great deal of pain and Balthazar is with her." Michael states as Cas shakes his head showing he feels it too.

"I'm always good for a battle on Tuesday." Bernael comments.

"Lucifer can you feel that, it feels like…" Xaphan trails off.

"Yes if my memory serves that is the brother who betrayed us." Samael adds spitefully, he was still rebuilding his favorite place in Hell because of Azazel.

"Azazel." Lucifer snarls angrily, knowing that this is the second time he has betrayed him.

"I thought we killed him in Hell… we all saw his wings imprinted on the ground." Marchosias declares in outrage.

"Yes, I felt him die." Bernael says heatedly.

"It appears he has tricked us some how." Samael contributes.

"Well I guess it's time I stick my blade through him myself." Lucifer says confidently. So with that the angels create a plan to save Steff, Dean, and Balthazar.

In the Cell

The Next Morning

The next morning the two men from last night came for Steff and Dean, while four men restrained Balthazar as they tried to take his grace. Steff had happened to look back as she and Dean were being led out of the room.

"Noooo Balthazar!" Steff yowls angrily and jumps out of Dean's grip. She races back to Balthazar's side, and rips throat out of the man who had his knife to Balthazar's throat. As the henchman goes down the other men jump forward to catch Steff. In the confusion Dean manages to slip out of sight and using a small amount of strength he knocks the two guards unconscious at the door. Dean begins running away from what he assumes is an old jail, and into the nearby forest hoping to get away and find help… preferably angels. Though as he is sprinting blindly into the forest he runs straight into Michael.

"Dean…is that you?" Michael asks in confusion, unsure of how he got out.

"Michael… is that really you, I'm not just having a lucid dream?" Dean asks as he begins backing away from Michael unsure if this is real.

"Hey we heard shouting. Are you…?" but Lucifer doesn't finish that statement when he notices Michael calming an unsure Dean.

"Yes you are really here. Now where are Steff and Balthazar and how did you escape?" Michael says quickly trying to get Dean to answer his questions.

"Steff how was she, is she alright?" Lucifer asks worried for his lover's safety.

"Steff when I last saw her she was in a lot of pain, but managed to rip out a man's throat who had a knife to Balthazar's throat." Dean says answering all their questions at once.

"I imagine she would be in a lot of pain, but what did they want with Balthazar?" Castiel asks suddenly joining the group.

"The only spell I could think of that would need angel's grace and a human sacrifice would be the one to resurrect… a demon…. No he wouldn't dare try again!" Lucifer shouts while flaring his wings out in outrage, "That insolent flea would dare to defy me again!"

"He wouldn't…. Would he Lucifer?" Samael asks in doubt knowing Azazel was crazy, but not this crazy.

"Its not really surprising, Azazel was always the hard one to kill." Marchosias states.

"I'm with Marchosias, battle training with Azazel always sucked. He would never just stay down." Bernael agrees whole-heartedly.

"Shall we go kill him again then, companions?" Xaphan says with a spark in his eyes and with that they tell Cas to stay behind to take Dean back to Sam and Bobby.

Back at Bobby's House

Cas flies Dean back to a very worried Sam and Bobby.

"You idjit, next time you get your ass turned into a cat. I'm having Sam stick you in a cat carrier." Bobby shouts at Dean not really mad, but more worried about his boy's safety.

"Missed you too Bobby." Dean says sarcastically.

"Cas where is Steff?" Sam asks automatically assuming the worse.

"No, she isn't dead… yet." Cas answers back having heard Sam's thoughts.

"NOT DEAD YET!" The three hunters shout back.

"Do not shout at me! I am under enough pressure as is!" Cas shouts back at them.

"Cas I will shout till I'm voiceless, now tell me what the not yet means!" Dean barks at him.

"The angels are about to begin their assault on the building you and Steff were held in."

Cas replies quickly hoping to calm the riled hunters.

"Angels… I thought it was only you, Lucifer, and Michael and hey why aren't you with them?" Sam asks.

"No Sam, did you think it was just Michael and I in Heaven and Lucifer in Hell. There are hundreds of angels of the lord and then there are the fallen of Hell. Most of the fallen elected Lucifer, as their leader but a few like Azazel didn't agree. Lucifer has four main fallen angels he works with: Xaphan, Samael, Marchosias, and Bernael. Xaphan is an angel who created hellfire and controls it, he can summon it at will and use it offensively. Samael is an Archangel of Death, which is obvious as to what he does; him and Xaphan share a similar ability to manipulate fire. Marchosias is a female angel who is an excellent fighter only rivaled by Lucifer and Michael. She is what humans would call an angel of truth, she is often found answering many questions that the damned souls have. Last but not least there is Bernael. She is the commander of darkness and evil, who can twist even the most righteous of souls. She is only happy when she's torturing innocent souls or causing destruction. Bernael is what you humans would probably call a 'sick bastard'." Cas explains a little out of breath.

"Cas, you're such a nerd." Dean replies to him.

"Okay so I guess her rescue is in good hands, but why aren't you there too?" Bobby asks the angel who just looks down at his feet.

"Yeah aren't you her guardian angel, so go guard her." Dean points out not to calmly.

"Dean if you don't shut your insignificant, little mouth. I am going to rip you to pieces." Cas says with a perverse smile on his face after finally reaching his breaking point.

"Dean back off, Cas please don't rip him apart he's only worried like the rest of us, we're just better at dealing with it." Sam tells him calmly.

"I am not insignificant…" Dean starts, but doesn't get to finish as Cas transports him to the panic room, where he is gagged and cuffed to the bed.

"What the hell Cas! Please tell me you didn't." Sam asks hoping Cas hadn't lost it completely yet.

"No, he is in the panic room… unharmed." Cas says bitterly, like he regrets not killing him. Sam and Bobby both let out a collective breath neither of them knew they were holding.

"Okay, so why aren't you there?" Bobby asks gently, afraid he might set the angel off again.

"I was told to come back here because I'm not as strong as the others." Cas tells them sadly, and walks over to the couch, sitting down. Bobby and Sam join him in the living room, and Sam sits on the couch next to him while Bobby sits in his chair.

"Cas you know none of this is your fault right, you couldn't have saved them." Sam says soothingly as he rubs the angel's black wings softly trying to comfort him.

"Maybe, but I should have known the fight with the witch would have hurt Steff more than she let on." Cas responds mournfully as he pulls his wings away from Sam. Cas didn't need his sympathy he needed to be saving his charge.

"Well she once tricked us into believing she didn't have a broken arm and that was before Hell. So don't blame yourself to much." Bobby tells him with an insightful smile.

"Yeah and once on a hunt she even stitched up me up while she had a broken wrist and two broken fingers. Steff was never a quitter even when she was about to go to Hell she never cried after the first time she told us. She never accepted her fate, she fought against it to get back to us, and with your help she did. So Cas don't worry even as a cat she's lethal." Sam assures the angel passionately.

"She always a fighter even when faced with improbable circumstances like when I put her in that heaven. The girl starved herself, and killed me a million times when most angels would have resigned and just enjoyed the time alone." Cas says with a smile, muscles relaxing slightly, knowing Steff would fight till the end even as a cat. Dean, who had been listening from the panic room, and had managed to get the gag off, shouts out proudly, "I saw her rip a man's throat out who was trying to slit Balthazar's throat."

Cas who had forgotten that he put Dean down there realizing it was probably a little harsh, snaps him back upstairs.

"Dean what did you just say?" Sam asks as he cocks his head to the side a little in curiosity.

"I said that Steff, as a cat ripped a man's throat out, when she saw him about to slit Balthazar's throat." Dean enunciates a hint of pride in his voice.

"Gross dude, and I bet that tasted awful." Sam says as he shakes his head at the grossness of it.

"Sammy, if we weren't in mortal danger I could have hugged her." Dean says voice still full of pride.

"Dean only you would be proud of our sister ripping out someone's throat as a cat." Sam remarks as he gives Dean a disapproving look.

"Sam how many people have a sister who can turn into a cat, and has angelic powers… seriously dude, how many people because I am pretty sure we are the only ones." Dean points out animatedly.

"Alright idjits we can discuss your cat slash angelic sister who rips out peoples throats when we have her back safe with us." Bobby interjects, holding his hands up to stop the boys from continuing.

"Yes I agree with Bobby we shall discuss this when they bring Steff back in one piece." Cas states quietly and all of them just sit in their respective spots waiting quietly. When all of a sudden seven angels appear in the living room with a cadaverous looking Steff in Lucifer's arms, all angels grim-faced.

What happened after Dean ran out

Once Steff had ripped the man's throat out all hell broke loose. The men rushed forward to grab Steff, and she managed to relieve another man of his throat. Before she could jump on another henchman, the surviving men grabbed her by the scruff on her neck. At this point all Steff can do is dangle in the air and hiss. No amount of twisting or squirming could get the man to let go. Balthazar who was now, along with Steff being taken to what they can only assume is the office section of the building. Where the angels were led to what could only be described as an altar of sorts. It was covered in the remains of several large animals; blood of which they assumed was human, and some other satanic symbols. Steff remembers when she asked Lucifer about those symbols and he had said he hated that people associated them with him, gave him a bad reputation. Though Steff could never figure out what could be worse for a reputation then being Satan himself, and she would just laugh at Lucifer whenever he said he wasn't that evil. When really those were the symbols in Enochian. The language of angels and when carved correctly in the right position they held much power. Plus Steff figured if she had heard the men correctly earlier about only needing one angel, then she knew what they were trying to do. Since it was the only spell Lucifer had ever told her about that would require this kind of altar, and an angel's grace that hadn't fallen from Heaven yet. It was the spell to resurrect demons that had been killed. Once all the pieces finally clicked into place in Steff's mind she fought even harder against the man holding her.

"You know fighting is really futile at this point Steff. I am just a minute away from bringing Alistair back." Azazel hisses to her as she struggles against his tight grip, ignoring the pain in her back only focused on saving Balthazar from him.

"Azazel have you learned nothing since the time you tried to torture me. I always fight even to the bitter end, and even now stuck as a cat." Steff says with a determined smile.

"Well let me guess the angels are coming for you… just like when you were stuck in hell with us." Azazel taunts her with fake nostalgia.

"No, actually I plan on stabbing you myself you sick, bastard." Steff spits at him.

"Wow, even as a cat you've got determination. You know I could use an angel like you on my side. We could rule Hell together with Alistair I'm sure he would love to have Lucifer's little angel by his side." Azazel offers to the cat that just laughs.

"As if I would ever conspire with vermin like you. Plus I enjoy Lucifer's company to much to leave him." Steff replies with renewed vigor while she begins to fight him again.

"Steff just stop, they're not coming for us and I have accepted the fact that I am about to become human so just stop before he kills you." Balthazar says and twitches his wings slightly. Steff realizing that he is signaling something plays along with him trying to buy some time.

"Balthy how can you say that? How can you give up so easily? Besides could you imagine yourself as a human you wouldn't last a week." Steff comments snidely.

"How could you say that? I bet I would make a wonderful human." Balthazar says sounding hurt.

"Yeah I give you two days without your angelic abilities. Before you either get killed by the supernatural, or you die of alcohol poisoning." Steff says while laughing slightly.

"Darling you're probably right, well at least about the alcohol poisoning part. But I think I would live a long time simply based on how many angels I know." Balthazar says with mock confidence.

"My god… Balthazar have you always been this vain?" Steff wonders out loud.

"Now that I think about it, yes… Maybe that's why I attract so many unbonded angels." Balthazar teases with a smirk.

"Hey it's not my fault I came to you, back then hanging out with Cas was boring as hell. Plus you were a fun person to be around when I got pissed at Lucifer." Steff says defensively. Azazel who had been listening to the pair argue never notices when six very pissed angels snapped themselves into the room.

"Well if it isn't the traitor to his own fallen brothers and sisters." Samael states angrily. Azazel having heard the all to familiar voice turns around to see six angels with wings wrathfully flared out.

"Well if it isn't my lovely brothers and is that Marchosias and Bernael I see over there." Azazel says still holding onto Steff roughly by the neck at some point he had grabbed her and Balthazar was chained to a wall. Steff who realized Lucifer was here begins to fight, claw, and bite at the arm holding onto her.

"Put her down Azazel, release Balthazar, and I promise to make your death swift." Michael says authoritatively. Azazel who looked like he had been considering it shrugs and throws Steff against a wall.

"Fine I will let the youngling go, but him I need still. Though when I'm done you can have what's left of him back." Azazel taunts.

"Let him go now, Azazel!" Lucifer commands.

"Lucifer you forget I am no longer under your command. I no longer listen to your constant nagging. Azazel be more creative with your torture…. Azazel mess with their minds not just their bodies…. Azazel do this, Azazel I don't like how this demon is doing this." Azazel complains.

"Well fine if you don't like my leadership I guess I gotta kill you… again." Lucifer states matter-of-factly.

"I will so enjoy watching you die, again Azazel." Bernael says with a sadistic smile.

With that last comment the battle begins, Xaphan throws up a ring of hellfire around the room to prevent escape or entry by anyone. Samael begins dealing death to anything within his reach moving quickly around the room. Bernael and Marchosias make their way to a chained up Balthazar and release him from his bonds.

"Balthazar you should leave now. Go back to Bobby's, and see how Cas is holding up." Marchosias says to him.

"And miss a good fight, I think not. Now lets go kill us a conspirator." Balthazar tells Bernael and Marchosias excitedly.

"Very well, just keep out of our way." Bernael says as she rushes to the nearest vampire and uses her powers to make the vampire's shadow to rip off its own head. Balthazar laughs while jumping to the nearest vampire, and using his hands to rip its head off. As the body begins to fall Balthazar wipes the drops blood off his face.

"Still think I'll get in the way." Balthazar taunts as he rips another head off and tosses it to Bernael.

"I knew there was a reason we came to save you... You should come hang with me in Hell for a while… I can teach you the joys of inflicting pain." Bernael says seductively.

"Well as lovely as that sounds Bernael. I fear the heat would do terrible things to my feathers." Balthazar blushes as he responds. Bernael and Balthazar move to the next set of vampires and relieve them of their heads.

"My offer will still stand if you change your mind Balthy." Bernael says her voice full of affection, and slightly rubbing his wings on Balthazars. Balthazar who doesn't know what to make of this smiles shyly, and joins Michael on the other side fighting off several vampires. Marchosias is now fending off attacks of her own while trying to get to Steff, meanwhile Xaphan and Lucifer have Azazel cornered across the room. Azazel draws his angel blade and Lucifer does the same. The two engage in battle each making shallow cuts on the other, but neither really gains any ground.

"Lucifer it seems we are evenly matched." Azazel taunts as he slashes for Lucifer's throat, but misses.

"Azazel you will never compare to me, not even in the slightest of ways. Now do us all a favor and die." Lucifer shouts angrily as he cuts the angel across the torso.

"Now where's the fun in that Lucifer?" Azazel says sarcastically, and right as he is about to stab Lucifer through the chest he sees a dark flash of black fur. Steff manages to knock Azazel's blade out of his hand, but then Azazel flings her hard against the wall. She hits the wall with a loud thump and slides, lifelessly to the ground.

"STEFF NOO!" Lucifer shouts as he sinks the blade deep into Azazel's chest, and watches as the traitor's wings imprint on the wall behind him. Xaphan not wanting a repeat of last time uses his hellfire to burn the body. Then Samael comes over, and bottles the ashes in a bottle carved with Enochian sigils made to contain the ashes. Lucifer rushes over to the crumpled body of the cat, which is covered in gashes. Seeing his love in dire condition he immediately begins to shove his grace into her broken little body. The body begins to shift shape into its regular form and the injuries on the outside heal, but Lucifer doesn't understand why she hasn't woken yet. The other angels after clearing the rest of the room of henchmen gather around Lucifer to see him kneeling by the healed body of Steff.

"Steff, Sweetheart you're fine I healed you… Come on its time to fly away from here," Lucifer says, but still her body doesn't move. Just lies dead on the floor so he begins to shake her shoulders in desperation, "Steff this isn't funny. I can feel your soul in there I know you are alive. You have to be alive I… I can't have been to late…." Michael seeing his brother's confusion walks over to him to see tears streaking down Lucifer's face.

"Michael she can't…. we couldn't have been to late…" Lucifer cries in anguish.

"Lucifer if her soul is still in the body then maybe she's just resting, like when you first infused your grace into her. I imagine she must have slept for awhile afterwards… correct." Michael says comfortingly and Lucifer just nods.

"Lets take her to Bobby's so she can sleep this off in a bed." Balthazar advises quietly. Lucifer nods his head in agreement and picks up Steff's limp body. The group flies to Bobby's house where they're met with concerned looks.

Back at Bobby's again

When Lucifer and the other angels show up in Bobby's living room, three worried hunters met them with a grim-faced guardian angel.

"I will go make her comfortable in the panic room." Lucifer says hollowly then disappears from the room again. While all the angels except for Michael and Cas went outside. Dean, Sam, Bobby, and Cas all look at Michael expecting an explanation.

"Steff was injured while, saving Lucifer from Azazel's blade. Lucifer healed her, but her body has shutdown to repair the internal damage done to her soul. We have no idea if she will wake up or not, and if she wakes we have no clue of her mental state." Michael explains sadly.

"What do you mean if? That kid is indestructible I'm sure she will be up in a few days." Dean says a little out of denial.

"Dean I don't know the hit was very hard, she may not bounce back from this." Xaphan says sadly while coming in from the outside followed by Marchosias, Balthazar, and Bernael. Bernael who was rubbing her wings on Balthazars, and trying to get him to pay attention to her.

"Who the hell are you guys?" Dean shouts angrily at the angels.

"I am Bernael the fallen angel of Darkness and Destruction, and this is Balthazar a guardian angel I think… but not Steffs." Bernael answers while running her hand on Balthazar's arm.

"Yeah I know who Balthazar is, but thanks. Who are you two?" Dean asks still a little angry.

"My name is Marchosias an angel of truth, and my fiery friend over here is a Xaphan the angel of hellfire." Marchosias says politely as she gestures to herself and then Xaphan.

"I am sorry we had to meet under such awful circumstances, I hope she awakens soon." Xaphan says offering his condolences. Sam and Bobby just stare a little hollow-faced at the new arrivals. Dean who doesn't like all the angels that are suddenly hanging around lately decides to go down to the panic room to check on Steff. When Dean gets down to the room he notices Lucifer laying next to the body.

"How is she?" Dean asks hesitantly fearing the worse.

"Her body is physically fine and I checked her mental state. She's fine in body and mind it seems we are just waiting for her to open her eyes." Lucifer answers confused as to why his beloved still wasn't awake yet.

"Well she'll wake when she's damn well ready. There is no rushing that girl." Dean says with a small smile glad to know she was all right, and they both just stand there in silence watching as the color comes back to her skin slowly.

"Dean, I need to ask you something?" Lucifer blurts out suddenly.

"Yeah sure dude, shoot." Dean says while looking at Steff's body searching for any signs of movement.

"I would like to know if you have any objections to me marrying your sister?" Lucifer asks while still looking at Steff on the bed. Dean shifts his gaze from Steff to the angel lying at her side slowly brushing the hair off her face. He can see that Lucifer loves his sister, but something still has Dean hesitating. This was his little girl… well maybe not his exactly but that's not the really important, and he's not sure if he's ready to give her to the devil… again.

"Well this is definitely not one of the situations I ever thought I would have to deal with. I mean who thinks maybe one day I will have decide whether or not I trust the devil to marry my sister." Dean says with heavy sigh.

"Yeah this is a one time thing, plus Sam and Bobby already wished me luck." Lucifer says with a small laugh.

"It better be... If you cheat on her, I will kill you or let her kill you. Then have Michael resurrect you so we can do it again. You understand?" Dean replies sternly.

"I would never cheat of Steff, plus I think she would blow up something, then take my spot as ruler of Hell." Lucifer says with a smile to Dean.

"Yeah it would probably be Hawaii, for some reason the girl has a vendetta against them." Dean states in wonderment having never figured out her strange hatred of the island state. Lucifer and Dean laugh while joining the group upstairs where they notice the only angels there are Cas and Michael.

"What a day boys." Bobby says to the group tiredly.

"I think its time we call it a night." Sam says while addressing the group. Cas and Michael fly back to Heaven. Lucifer settles on the couch, while the fallen angels fly back down to Hell to help Crowley and Bahzemet.


	14. Kidnap is Romantic.... Right?

5:58 am the next morning

Steff wakes up with a start, and immediately snaps out of the house in her fear. When she looks around she realizes she is at Bobby's, but not very sure how she got there. She also notices that she is no longer stuck as a cat, and she begins to shake out her newly healed wings. To test them out she flies all the way to Africa although flying the distance was difficult since she was still weak and she barely manages to land in the den of a lioness with her cubs. Steff having startled the mother instantly told the animal she meant no harm with her mind and the lioness came over warily to sniff Steff. Smelling that the angel meant no harm the lioness went back to bathing her cubs in the sunrise. Steff smiles as she watches the loving mother clean her cubs gently, remembering sorrowfully how her own mother used to brush her hair. She sits there all day watching the sun rise high in the sky, and Steff provides the lion family with the carcass of a zebra at about noon. After the sunsets Steff is still sitting with the lion family. When suddenly the lioness comes over to where she is sitting and lays her head in Steff's lap. Steff smiles and begins to pet her gently, and the cubs came bounding over to get petted as well. That is how they fall asleep that night in a pile of feathers and fur. When Steff awakes the next morning she still didn't feel like going home, so she went outside and looked to the sky then called for Balthazar.

"Steff, thank father you're okay! But what are you doing in Africa? Lucifer is looking for you." Balthazar states while looking at her in confusion.

"Balthy come back I wanna play." Bernael exclaims after suddenly showing up.

"Bern give me a second here." Balthazar says as he gives Steff a worried look.

"Wow, you and Bernael… I wouldn't have ever guessed. I feel like she wears the pants in that bond." Steff says in mild disbelief.

"Steff what are you doing here, Lucifer is looking for you? Well I should say scouring the realms for you." Bernael questions wondering what could possibly be her reason for leaving now.

"Yeah could you do me a favor and not tell him, I should only be gone a few more days… I just need some alone time away from the group." Steff says quietly.

"Well I would have never guessed Lucifer's little angel would be hiding from him, but I won't rat you out." Bernael says glad the young angel is at least unharmed. Steff nods her head in thanks and turns back to Balthazar who still has a questioning gaze on Steff.

"What did you need Steff, I'm sure this isn't a social call?" Balthazar asks knowing Steff never called angels unless she had questions.

"Yeah I need to know something about Lucifer." Steff says to him.

"I'm not really the angel to ask, you could ask Bernael or maybe Michael, but I'm sensing you prefer a more secretive approach." Balthazar says intuitively as Bernael steps up to Steff.

"Bernael has Lucifer ever had another bond mate before me?" Steff asks as she turns to the female angel radiating darkness, causing the lioness to hiss defensively from behind Steff with her cubs behind her.

"No, not that I recall and I have been with him since before the fall. He was alone and refused to bond with any of the fallen. Until he came upon your soul he would rarely socialize with the fallen, but once he found you it was as if your tenacity to kill him awoke something in him… it was like your determination to kill him. Fueled a need in him to make you love him. He came back to us… the Lucifer we all knew before, the one who had a fire back in his heart. It was as if you brought his soul back from its own personal Hell. You should have seen him when you disappeared with Castiel, the man was a wreck he scoured Hell, then he feared that Michael found you. Plus he was torn apart after you bonded with Michael, but gradually he got used to you disappearing… although this time he's probably freaking out." Bernael says with a smile that suggests mischief.

"Don't you dare tell him Bernael, I'll rip your throat out myself." Steff threatens not yet ready to face the others.

"Fine, but can I at least tell him you're not in danger; I'll tell him your doing some thinking in the wild." Bernael says begrudgingly.

"Yeah that's cool and Bernael sorry …I would never rip out Balthazar's mate's throat." Steff says with a small smile. Balthazar with a blush grabs Bernael by the wings and flies off. Steff with a sad smile goes back to the den of lions, and falls asleep in the middle of them again. Where she has a most interesting dream; in the dream she and Lucifer were laying on a bed with him over her.

"Resistance is futile you know you love me Steff… besides you can't keep running away I will always find you no matter where you run. Plus you just realize how much you miss each time you run." Lucifer gloats in a singsong voice.

"Shut up Lucifer, and I'm not running away; also I don't think you're gonna find me this time." Steff says thinking of how right dream Lucifer is. Each time she fled from him she just realizes how bad she misses his gentle touches, and how he smells like home. Dream Lucifer however breaks through her thoughts when he leans in and begins kissing her deeply. It takes Steff's body a few moments to react, but when she does she kisses him back roughly and from there it turns into making out which eventually leads to sex. So when Steff wakes up in the middle of a black satin king sized bed next to Lucifer in the panic room she realizes that it wasn't really a dream.

"Dammit Lucifer!" Steff shouts at a sleeping Lucifer while storming out of the room and up the stairs. When she gets up there she notices Sam, Bobby, and Dean looking everywhere but at her.

"What!" Steff shouts at them pissed at Lucifer.

"I hate to be the one to inform you of this, but your not wearing any clothes." Sam says quietly.

"Dammit all to mother fucking Hell!" Steff shouts as she snaps some clothes onto herself, the men go back to their work silently. Lucifer having woken up after the shouting walks upstairs with a t-shirt and jeans on.

"Sweetheart I see you have awoken." Lucifer says while still smiling after last night's activities.

"Lucifer you son of a bitch! I am gonna kill you!" Steff exclaims as she draws her angel blade, and jumps at Lucifer. However before she can sink her blade into his chest, Dean grabs her from behind.

"Lucifer now would be a good time to leave." Sam tells him, Lucifer taking the hint decides to go visit Hell for a while. Once Lucifer has flown to safety, Dean releases Steff slowly. Steff just glares at the spot Lucifer was in, which suddenly bursts into flame.

"Alright Steff put the floor out. Care to explain what that was about?" Dean asks wondering what could have possibly upset her now.

"No Dean, I don't care to talk about it. If you need me I'll be outside lighting things on fire." Steff spits at him then storms out the door, and a few minutes later they hear a furious scream and see a fire blazing towards the sky.

"You idjits better go calm her down before she blows up this state." Bobby tells them.

"Bobby I don't fancy getting lit on fire today, so I say we let her go for awhile." Dean suggests while watching from the window.

"Come on Dean, we'll go together she won't light both of us on fire…hopefully." Sam says with a shrug. So with that the brothers head out, and hope Steff doesn't accidentally set them on fire. When they arrive to where Steff is, they find her currently melting old car bodies and forming a sculpture with the liquid steel.

"Whatcha building?" Sam asks gently.

"A lioness I met once." Steff replies quickly, and begins forming the head. Shaping it exactly as she remembered it.

"The body looks a little tense. Is the lioness ready to attack?" Dean observes as he sees the lioness in a crouching position.

"Yes, actually this is how she looked right before she took down a running gazelle." Steff says through gritted teeth as she forces the steel to bend to her will.

"I see. Steff you want to talk about why you showed up naked in the kitchen this morning, shouting, and then trying to kill Lucifer?" Sam asks delicately not wanting to get set a flame, or have molten steel poured on him.

"Oh, I was shouting because Lucifer took me away from this lioness and her cubs. I had been currently caring for them... lets see I was naked because once he took me back we had sex, and then trying to kill Lucifer simply based on the fact that I am really angry at him… and I'm not sure if were still mates anymore Sam. I think I will take the company of you guys or other angels like Samael, Michael, or hell even Cas." Steff says as she finishes the head and melts it to the body. The boys and her stand back to admire her handy work.

"Steff to bad you couldn't do this when you were younger you would have had plenty of money." Dean says while admiring the statue.

"Dean it would do you very well not to mention that now if you wanna live longer then twelve seconds." Steff states with a huff and begins to stalk into the forest. Sam and Dean follow her into the forest then pray to Michael who shows up beside them.

"Who made that beautiful lioness statue in the junkyard?" Michael asks curiously kind of wishing he had one in his heaven.

"Steff did in her anger at Lucifer, apparently he abducted her from that lioness and her cubs, then they had sex. Now she is pissed although we haven't really figured out why. Oh plus she said she'll prefer the company of you, Samael, or Cas. Should we be worried?" Dean explains trying to figure out if he missed anything.

"It would be safe to say this is bad, Steff must have been thinking when Lucifer brought her back. She only gets pissed like this when she has been forced back before she's ready." Michael clues the boys in helpfully.

"Oh and the sex probably just aggravated the situation." Dean adds.

"Yes genius, cause when has sex ever fixed being kidnapped Dean! Seriously I thought that was a no brainer." Steff shouts back at them have heard them following her.

"Sweetheart now that you have stopped igniting the world would you care to work this out without fire?" Lucifer asks suddenly appearing.

"Lucifer I am going to burn your wings so bad not even God could heal them!" Steff shouts in anger at him, and she tackles him to the ground angel blade in hand.

"Steff stop this now! You will not kill my brother!" Michael yells as he knocks the blade out of her hand and pins her to a tree, while slipping a cuff on Steff that will restrict her grace.

"Michael what did you do?" Steff asks trying to regain her balance.

"I have restricted your grace so you can not harm us all with your misguided anger." Michael responds while gently guiding Steff to sit on the ground.

"Sweetheart what have I done to anger you so much that you would question our bond?" Lucifer questions as he kneels down next to her.

"Don't play dumb with me Morning Star you know exactly what you did! You can't just abduct people from lioness's dens, and then have sex with them. Seriously in what world is kidnap ever fixed with sex?" Steff says weakly still a little lightheaded from her lack of grace.

"Sorry I followed Bernael when she came to you and told you about me, I could feel how much you cared for me through the bond. So I figured if I came and got you, you would find it romantic, not kidnap." Lucifer says reminding Steff a little of a kicked puppy.

"I see well…well when you put it like that it does sound a little romantic, but I'm still pissed. What made you decide right then would be a good time for sex though?" Steff questions him leaning against the tree trying to not throw up.

"That was not planned at all, just kinda the heat of the moment." Lucifer says as he starts to hum the opening to the song and Steff stands up fully pushing Lucifer away from her.

"Morning Star, don't you dare. You know how much I hate that song after Gabriel murdered Dean a hundred times to it." Steff says trying to reason with him.

"I never meant to be so bad to you, one thing that I said I would never do." Lucifer sings as he starts the song and Steff just groans loudly.

"Stop Lucifer." Steff orders trying to fight the small smile tugging at her lips.

"A look from you and I would fall from grace, and that would wipe the smile from off my face." Lucifer continues singing.

"Whatever I'm leaving." Steff groans as she tries to hide the smile as she begins walking deeper into the forest.

"Do you remember when we used to dance, and incidents that arose from circumstance?" Lucifer sings as he follows her deeper into the forest.

"We have never even danced before." Steff points out to him as she turns around to face him, but as she turns around he grabs her and begins to waltz with her.

"One thing led to another we were young, and we would scream together in songs unsung." Lucifer still singing out while spinning her out.

"Luci you're like a trillion years older than me… like a cougar in male form." Steff points out as she curls back into him.

"It was the heat of the moment, telling me what my heart meant, the heat of the moment shown in your eyes." Lucifer sings out loudly ignoring her.

"Fine, I'll forgive you if you stop singing that dreadful song." Steff finally resigns trying to pull out of his arms.

"But you love when I sing 'Another One Bites the Dust' to you while we smite things." Lucifer says with a smile and unlocking the cuff on her wrist, while kissing her. The group of men who were watching let out the breath they had been holding.

"Well now that we have all made up can we go back?" Dean asks impatiently it was kind of cold out there.

"Oh, before we go will you do me the honor of marrying me Steff?" Lucifer asks as he kneels down presenting a small white box with a silver ring.

"No." Steff says quickly with absolutely no hesitation what so ever. Dean bursts out laughing, Michael and Sam just stared open mouth in shock, and Lucifer looks like he might cry a little.

"What…?" Lucifer squeaks out while looking up at Steff in disbelief.

"Only our sister would turn down the Devil." Dean manages to choke out in between bouts of laughter.

"Now just give me a minute to explain; Lucifer when you finally asked me to bond with you I thought that we were married, so why would I want some piece of paper when I have a physical bond with you…. Why would I need that when I know how deep your love runs for me because I can feel it inside of you. So no I won't marry you because we were already married so many years ago." Steff explains passionately as she pulls Lucifer up to her level. The men all let out a collective awe, and with that Lucifer kisses Steff deeply after about five minutes Deans had enough.

"Hey get your tongue out of my sister's throat so we can go back." Dean says with a glare. Steff hears him and flashes him the middle finger causing the group to laugh then make their way back to the house. The boys all stop and stare at the statue, which has now changed from the fierce lioness into one that is playing with her cubs while a large lion sits next to them. The cubs upon further inspection were different in only one feature… the eyes: one had deep forest green, another brilliant blue, and the last with comforting hazel. The lioness had fierce, but loving ice blue eyes, and the lion had pale blue eyes on looking his mate and her cubs.


	15. Why Sam Hates Gabriel... well sorta

About a month later

Sam and this particular archangel share an interesting relationship. He doesn't really hate Gabriel he just doesn't like when he, his sister, and his brother have to clean up his messes.

"Dean do we have to?" Steff asks from the back of the Impala, they were on the way to a case.

"Steff you really want to leave those people to deal with Gabriel's tricks?" Dean asks with his eyebrows raised in question while driving the car, and looking in the rearview mirror at her.

"Yeah Steff I think you can stop cuddling with Lucifer for a few hours, long enough to help these people." Sam says, lately if you wanted to find Steff all you had to do was look for Lucifer. They were usually found out in the junkyard by the lioness statue, either practicing combat or snuggling. Dean liked to call it their honeymoon phase.

"Fine, Sam don't blame me if you get yelled at in your dreams by Lucifer." Steff says with a huff and falls back in the seat causing silence to follow.

"So… Sam what's the deal with the people of this town." Dean says just trying to break the silence a few minutes later.

"Well apparently one man died after suddenly bursting into flame, when the fire fighters got done at the scene they found that there was a dog in the house to… it died of carbon monoxide poisoning." Sam says while he skims the article again looking for details he might have missed.

"Also, here it says a teenager was found beaten to death with a purse after he had tried to mug an elderly woman." Dean says after pointing at another article's title he then tosses the article back to Steff who starts reading the rest of the paper.

"Hey look! They have brown Labrador Retriever puppies for sale." Steff says as she inspects the picture and the owner. She notices there's something very familiar about the owner, but can't quite put a finger on it. Steff shrugs and figures it can't be that important.

"Steff now is not really the time to go puppy shopping. Plus doesn't Lucifer already have Hellhounds, and something tells me they would probably eat a Retriever puppy." Dean points out while still concentrating on driving.

"Dean you'd be surprised, Hellhounds are pretty sweet when they aren't fulfilling crossroads demon's contracts. You really shouldn't judge a person or thing based on its profession." Steff points out to him with a glare, knowing Dean was just being stereotypical right now… he's never met a Hellhound when they weren't doing their job.

"Steff they're called Hellhounds for a reason and they come from Hell. I wasn't being judgmental I was simply stating facts." Dean says in annoyance… his sister always got defensive when Dean talked about Hell.

"Well since you have never been to Hell. I think you shouldn't talk about things you don't understand… I'm from Hell." Steff retorts in a snit quietly.

"Alright you two, settle down. I really don't want to have to play referee to you guys." Sam tells his siblings trying to calm everyone down, but Steff has had enough of Dean's Hell bashing he had been doing lately.

"Sam you wouldn't have to play referee because I could easily kill both of you with the blink of an eye." Steff says with a smug smile.

"Okay I have had enough of this, even though you aren't human anymore… well at least not completely human. I am still the oldest so you still have to do what I say, and I say be quiet before I have to pull this car over." Dean states with a finality that makes him sound like their father. Steff just balks at this.

"Dean you are not my…." Steff starts but thinks better of it, and stops because Sam was right. If she didn't stop here it was going to get bad real fast.

"I'm not what Steff!" Dean says while glaring into the rearview mirror back at her. However Steff decides to be the bigger person and stays quiet.

"Dean just stop, Steff stopped so why start it again." Sam says trying to placate Dean.

Well luckily before anyone could say anything else Michael showed up in the back seat as a cat on Steff's lap. Steff doesn't even bother looking down at the cat before she starts stroking its fur gently.

"Hello Winchesters." Michael says while purring on Steff's lap as she stares out the windshield.

"Hey Michael." Sam says with a sigh.

"Sup Michael." Dean replies grumpily from the driver's seat not even bothering to look back. Steff who is still stroking Michael says nothing, and has a look on her face that implies she's deep in thought.

"Hello, earth to Steff." Michael says to Steff, but it does nothing to get her attention.

"What is wrong with her?" Michael asks the boys, who at that turn to see Steff glaring at the back of Dean's head.

"No clue… Anyways to what do we owe the honor of your visit to?" Sam says with a shrug, knowing exactly what was wrong but he didn't want to start another fight.

"Well I came to help you find my brother." Michael states as Steff is still absent-mindedly petting him.

"So it is Gabriel preying on these towns people." Sam says looking at Michael for conformation. Michael nods and in an attempt to bring Steff back to them he bites her hand.

"Dammit Michael! Why the hell did you just bite me?" Steff shouts at him painfully while pushing the cat roughly off her lap.

"You were not paying attention to the information I have provided." Michael says while looking a little frustrated and jumping up onto Sam's lap. Sam who was just staring out the window looks down to Michael, and with a smile begins to scratch the cat behind the ears.

"Oh sorry, I was busy. So you were saying." Steff replies with a bored tone.

"Like I was saying it seems time to pay my dear brother Gabriel a visit… I have been missing him for a while so what better time right. Steff could you call Lucifer please?" Michael asks Steff, but only to see she isn't in the back seat anymore,

"Steff, where did you go?" Sam and Dean hearing this look back into the back seat to find it empty. Dean slams the brakes on the car, and it skids to a stop on the old country road.

"Where the hell did she go?" Dean shouts in confusion as he gets out of the car.

"She probably hasn't gone to Hell Dean. Lucifer doesn't go there much these days, maybe she is at Bobby's I will go check." Michael says while he turns to a person and flies off.

"Oh great now we lost both angels." Dean groans out in frustration.

"Should we wait for…?" Sam doesn't get to finish because Michael appears next to them again.

"I can't find her and he has not talked to him since this morning." Michael says with an upset expression on his face.

"Ok what's wrong Michael?" Dean asks trying to keep from shooting something out of anger.

"Lucifer laughed at me and told me I was out of luck. I do not understand the reference and it upsets me." Michael says and the way he is frowning reminds Dean of kicked puppy.

"Michael, out of luck just means that he can't answer your question." Sam explains quickly. "God you angels are so sensitive sometimes." Sam mutters under his breath.

The men stand there for another half an hour and right, as Dean is about to suggest leaving. Steff shows up with something squirming in her arms.

"Do I even need to ask Steff?" Dean asks while getting into the Impala.

"No, his name is Geoffrey Wilson. He's the latest victim of Gabriel's tricks and I need your help getting him back to his family. Before Gabriel turned him into a puppy he was a miner. Who had accidentally ran over a dog on his way home from work one late night. He told me he never even saw the dog. When he tried to slam the brakes, they weren't working apparently he had meant to replace them, but never got around to it. Then the next day a strange man told him 'it's a dogs life' and when he woke up the next day he was in a strange house with other puppies like this." Steff explains while trying to calm the squirming puppy. The men all looked at her with shocked faces.

"What did you think I was doing? The car was boring plus you remember the puppies I saw, and the man who was in the background off the picture looked strangely familiar. So I flew to the address and when I got there all I saw was Mr. Wilson and bowls filled with food and water." Steff explains to them.

"Well I thought that you just bailed on us." Dean says.

"Dean when have I ever bailed on you if you needed my help?" Steff asks and Dean tries to recall, but he can't remember. "Exactly, so can we get back to the situation at hand?" Steff says as she walks over the Impala, and opens the back door and climbs in with Mr. Wilson.

"He had better not pee back there." Dean yells at her while climbing into the driver's seat. Sam and Michael also climb in. Sam takes shotgun while Michael sits in the back with Steff and Mr. Wilson. When they finally arrived in the town and Sam had checked them into a crappy motel. Steff settled onto the couch with the puppy in her arms and falls asleep. Sam and Dean settled onto the beds to fall asleep. Michael sat on the other side of the couch next to Steff and Mr. Wilson. Michael couldn't help, but stare at the puppy in Steff's arms it felt so familiar… he just can't place why… eventually Michael just dozes off. When the group awoke the next morning they headed over to where Mr. Wilson first woke up.

6 pm

Dean stopped the car in front of a large mansion in the middle of a dense forest. Once the car had been parked, and the appropriate weapons had been taken from the false bottom of the car's trunk. They begin walking to the mansion and when they knock on the door. The large wooden door swings eerily open on it's own. The group is greeted by yips and barks of puppies; most of the group begins to move toward the sound. Whereas Steff takes Mr. Wilson and begins to walk to a door in the corner of the room, when she opens the door she walks down the flight of stairs. Once they reach the bottom of the stairs, Mr. Wilson jumps out of her arms and Steff chases after him, only to find him stopped in front of a large cage. Steff uses her grace searches the surrounding for any sign of life, finding nothing she opens the cage. When suddenly Mr. Wilson snarls at her while he pushes her into the cage and slams the door shut.

"Wow that was way to easy." Mr. Wilson says while changing into his human form, Steff instantly recognizes the man as Gabriel.

"Gabriel what are you doing, I thought we were friends?" Steff says her voice full of confusion and hurt at his betrayal.

"Oh it's nothing against you, and I have no intention of harming you or anyone else. I just want to see what happens if Sam shrinks for awhile." Gabriel says with a mischievous smile while locking the cage. Steff instantly goes rigid at his comment, and begins to push on the door.

"Leave Sammy alone you bastard, let me out of here so I can kill your crazy ass." Steff shouts at him while trying to bust the door off its hinges, but as soon as she touches the metal it shocks her.

"You aren't gonna be able to force your way out of this one, once Sammy transforms I will let you out angel's honor." Gabriel promises with a mock salute. Steff who refuses to accept defeat slams herself against the cage door desperately.

"Ow!" Steff shouts in pain as the metal shocks her again and again as she slams against the door.

"Steff stop you're going to hurt yourself like that, I will restrain you further if you don't stop. Seriously I'm not gonna hurt him, in fact all the people I turned into puppies are turned back, and no one else will get hurt. I promise I won't hurt him." Gabriel swears; Steff who's at the end of her rope does the last possible thing she can do.

"LUCIFER!" Steff screams desperately.

"He can't here you Pet, and neither can anyone else. Now hush and be a good little kitten while I go get Sammy." Gabriel says as he uses his grace to force Steff into her kitten form.

8 pm

Gabriel goes back up to the rest of the house where the rest of the group has realized that Steff and 'Mr. Wilson' are missing. The group had spilt up to search the large house, and Sam was by himself currently searching the library. Gabriel enters the room quietly as to not startle the large man. Sam who heard the flutter of wings automatically assumed it was Steff.

"Steff thank god I found you I thought for sure something got you." Sam says while turning around only to face a smiling Gabriel, "Oh its just you, the ass who has been turning people into animals."

"My name is Gabriel and come with me. I'll take you to your sister it seems Mr. Wilson wasn't who he said he was." Gabriel says as he offers his hand to Sam.

"Is she hurt?" Sam asks as he grabs Gabriel's hand. Gabriel smiles at him and thinks 'I bet this is why Steff is so trusting of animals the man looks like a giant puppy already'. The pair is transported to where Gabriel has forced Steff into a kitten, which at the sight of Sam she begins to mew loudly at him.

"Steff thank god your okay. Well a kitten, but all right, wait where's Mr. Wilson?" Sam questions, as Steff meows desperately at him wishing he could speak cat. She was trying to warn him about Gabriel.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news Samuel." Gabriel says in mock sadness, as he edges closer to Sam.

"What? Steff's not hurt is she?" Sam asks voice full of concern while watching Steff pace in the cage.

"No she isn't hurt, but rather temporarily detained. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's simply a dog's life." Gabriel says and Sam notices he has either shrunk or the room grew. Gabriel smiles as he watches the tall man turn into a gangly looking brown Labrador retriever puppy, and true to his word earlier he opens Steff's cage who instantly turns into a lioness and tackles Gabriel to the ground.

"Now Steff I held up my end of the bargain and in a week or two little Sammy will be fine, so this is where I take my leave." Gabriel mutters as he disappears. Steff who is still a lioness runs back to where Sam is still trying to get used to his new body enough to walk.

"Sam I'm so sorry I tried to stop him but he tricked me, he was Mr. Wilson and then lured me down here and shoved me into the cage. I tried calling for Lucifer, but he did something to the room. I'm so, so sorry I tried to break out but he turned me into a kitten, but come here I'll use my grace so I can fix your voice it's the least I could do since I couldn't stop him." Steff practically cries when Sam gives her an a look that says 'I understand you tried your best its not as awful as it looks'. Steff uses her grace to give Sam his voice, but when she tries to break the spell she gets shocked.

"Dammit Gabriel, I'm gonna kill you!" She shouts with frustration into the ceiling.

"Steff can you transform back, or just into different felines?" Sam asks worriedly as his sister just stands there trying to think of a way out of this.

"Sammy don't worry about me I'm fine, but how are you?" Steff asks her voice heavy with regret that she couldn't prevent this. Sam hearing this walks over to her on his new legs and gives her a lick on the face.

"Steff you taste funny, but other than being a dog I'm physically fine. Why do I feel the need to chase my tail?" Sam says while staring angrily at the furry appendage.

"Sam did you just lick me?" Steff says with a small laugh at the puppy glaring at his tail, and changes back into her normal cat form.

"Yeah, and I think you need a bath come here I'll do it." Sam says while walking over to Steff and begins licking her fur.

"Sam stop, I don't need a bath." Steff says while trying to get away from Sam's tongue, but to no avail. So she just sits there and accepts the bath with disdain. After a few minutes Sam has finally stopped licking Steff's fur content that it's clean for now.

"Steff you never answered my question before can you become a person again or not?" Sam asks again as his sister paces in front of him.

"No Sam, it seems I can only change into different felines." Steff says wondering why Gabriel would stick her like this too, but is secretly glad so Sam won't feel so alone.

"Hmm well then at least we have each other. Hey could you always turn into a lioness?" Sam asks while cocking his head to the side.

"Maybe, but I only discovered it just now when I felt the need to save you from him." Steff says while she wills a blue leather collar with Sam's name carved into it around his neck. She then repeated everything Gabriel had told her to Sam.

"Should we go meet the others or call an angel, and how do we explain Gabriel's behavior?" Sam asks Steff while looking down at his paws.

"We will just go out to the Impala. Then we'll tell them you touched something weird and when I reached you I touched the same weird thing." Steff explains quickly to him.

"You really do have a knack for lying to us about these kind of situations." Sam says in wonderment at his sister's quick deception.

"Shut up Sam, this isn't the first time I had to lie my way out of a sticky situation, nor will this be the last. So come on dog breath, just stick to my plan and contemplate why you hate your tail so much." Steff says as she begins stride up the stairs with Sam in tow. They make it out to the Impala and since Dean left the windows open Steff jumps through the back one then opens the back door so Sam can jump onto the back seat. So the pair settles in the back seat Sam lays on the seat while Steff lies next to him, and they wait for Dean and Michael to show back up to the car.

Two hours later

10 pm

Dean and Michael had gotten tired of looking for Sam and Steff. After having seen all of the puppies from earlier turn back into very confused adults. Then making sure no one was harmed, plus the police were called, Michael and Dean walk back to the Impala.

"So where do you think those two could have gotten off to?" Dean asks Michael.

"I can feel that they are still here, I just cannot pin point their location." Michael says to Dean when they finally come to the Impala. They notice a large brown Labrador retriever puppy with a blue collar curled around an all to familiar black and indigo cat.

"Steff, please tell me that's not Sam." Dean says hoping its just some stray that Steff found.

"Wow dude, that's hurtful." The large puppy says in Sam's voice.

"Sam why are you and Steff in animal forms?" Michael asks, and Sam is about to tell them the truth when Steff interjects.

"We fell into some kind of magic goo, then Gabriel showed up and told us that it should only last like a week or two." Steff lies to them while Sam starts to lick Steff again.

"Sam why are you licking Steff? I don't think Lucifer will approve of that." Dean asks warily.

"She smells funny and I am just cleaning the scent from her fur. Hey did you know she can turn into a lioness, she looks just like this but bigger and more deadly." Sam says mid lick.

"Sam stop licking me. I don't smell funny, I checked." Steff yells at Sam who keeps on licking despite Steff's protests.

"Steff you smell like ash, fire, and kinda like a Hellhound. That must be what your brother smells, and is now trying to get rid of." Michael informs them after he sniffs Steff. Dean just stares as a very happy looking Sam licking, a very unhappy Steff.

"Sam stop licking her." Dean commands him as he gets in the car.

"No, she smells weird, and I don't like it. So until she smells like normal I will lick her." Sam growls at Dean while still licking Steff. Dean just stares at the puppy in mild shock.

"Dean leave him be its just his instincts. I have accepted this as my fate for now. Michael can you just transport us to Bobby's since Deans the only one who can drive and we're like two days away?" Steff asks while Sam is licking her neck at this, Steff starts to purr making him look pleased with himself.

"Yes I can, and will do that." Michael replies and with that he transports the car and everyone else to Bobby's house. They arrive to an empty house and Michael informs them that Bobby has gone to the store and expects their arrival. Sam who still hasn't stop licking Steff's neck looks around to see the junkyard now surrounding them and just goes back to the task at hand.

"Alright Sam this is enough, I'm clean now stop before you pull my fur out." Steff growls with disdain as she manages to wiggle her way out, and jump through the open car window into the yard.

"Wait, come back Steff I was almost done! You almost smelled just like me." Sam howls after her also jumping through window chasing her through the yard.

"Should we stop him before she rips his throat out?" Lucifer asks when he suddenly appears next to Dean and Michael.

"She wouldn't hurt Sam." Dean responds with a laugh.

"I agree with Dean, she loves the man to much to kill him." Michael says in agreement.

"Luci, save me." They hear coming pitifully from under a nearby car. Lucifer sprints over there; only to find Steff hiding under a car while Sam is trying his best to get at her.

"Sam, leave your sister alone before I put you in a cage." Lucifer states while he reaches under the car to see a pathetic looking Steff, and at seeing her angel. Steff immediately crawls into his awaiting arms.

"Luci, I think I need a real shower now. Can you help me turn the water on?" Steff asks while rubbing herself on Lucifer to get some of the Sam smell off her.

"Eww don't rub Samuel on me, and yes I will help you." Lucifer says as he vanishes into the house with Steff in his arms. Sam goes to follow them, but Lucifer wills a leash into existence and clips onto Sam, he then gives it to Dean.

"Can you hold him for a bit while I help your sister?" Lucifer asks while walking inside. Sam tries to follow them again, but the leash stops him.

"Hey let me go I wanna take a bath too." Sam yips angrily at Dean. Dean who just stares at him and shakes his head in disbelief.

"Sam, you don't need a bath. So come on lets go for a walk." Dean says and at the word walk Sam's ears prick and he jumps onto Dean.

"Walks, I like walks, come on Dean lets go." Sam says excitedly as he nocks Dean over, and proceeds to start dragging his brother behind him.

"Sammy heel, sit, stop." Dean commands while getting dragged by Sam. Sam having heard the commands stops and waits for Dean to right himself.

"Are you ready now Dean?" Sam asks while impatiently wagging his fluffy tail. Dean just laughs and dusts himself off, picks up the leash, then gives a gentle tug. Dean walks Sam for about a mile. Then turns around and they go back to the house but right, as they are about to go in Sam trips over his massive paws, and falls head first into a giant mud puddle.

"Dammit Sam! For the love of god!" Dean says angrily and Sam fearfully shrinks back out of the puddle. Right when Dean is about to go grab him by his neck, a giant lioness bursts out the back door. Then the lioness rushes out to the where Sam is whimpering all the while snarling at Dean.

"Oh thank god its only you Dean. I thought something was trying to get him." Steff says with a sigh of relief as she stops snarling and walks over to Sam. She picks him up by the scruff of his neck, while she carries him inside. Then up the stairs into the bathroom where Lucifer stands waiting ready to turn the water on again.

"I am not washing your puppy brother." Lucifer says blatantly refusing.

"Yeah I figured as much, but can you turn the water on I can use my powers to shampoo him." Steff says as she drops a very dirty Sammy into the shallow, warm water. Lucifer turns the water on and goes to wait downstairs. Where he finds Dean coming in the back door.

"Did you know Steff could do that?" Dean asks still in shock.

"What, bathe your brother with her powers? Even the lowest choir of angel can move objects with their powers, or are you talking about the whole I'm a lioness hear me roar." Lucifer says while drying his hands on his pants.

"The lioness part cause she just scared the crap out of me. The way she burst through that door… like I had her cub by the throat, I thought she was going rip me to shreds." Dean expresses to Lucifer in shock.

"Yes she can get quite protective of her Sammy, especially when she knows he can't defend himself well." Lucifer remarks and listens with a smile to the cacophony of yips, barks, and laughter coming from the upstairs bathroom.

"Yeah you noticed that too." Dean says trying to remember if the girl was always that protective.

"Dean she has always been that protective didn't you ever wonder why she would follow you guys on hunts, or did you just never notice. Plus in Hell whenever I threatened you two she would either calm down or begin fighting me like there was no tomorrow. Like I mean kicking and screaming, or more like snapping and snarling." Lucifer says as he recalls the past. Dean listens to what Lucifer says, and now that he thinks about it. He always thought he would see a flash of red hair in the background when on a hunt. But he never thought anything of it, because when they would come back to the motel they would find her sprawled on the couch reading, or sleeping on one of the beds. Well then there was always the chance that she wouldn't be there when the boys got back. And that was a whole another situation of questioning anyone who could have possibly seen the girl. But before he can dwell on it anymore, a fluffy and clean Sam blunders down the stairs, and jumps on the couch where he looks like he might fall asleep. Once Steff had finished mopping the water up walks down the stairs still in lioness form where she notices Sam on the couch. She jumps up next to him where she lets Sam rest his body against hers, and she curls her tail around Sam protectively and the pair falls asleep. Dean and Lucifer just smile at the pair on the couch both thinking 'Awww they're adorable when they're sleeping'.

14 hours later

Noon

Bobby comes home with an armful of bags. The man had been on his way home for a hunt, and since the boys and their sister were coming over he decided to go grocery shopping. After Michael had called and told him of the situation, Bobby now puts the bags on the kitchen table as cat greets him from the floor.

"Hey Steff where's your idjit brothers?" Bobby asks knowing they were around here somewhere.

"Sam and Dean are sleeping in the living room so can you be quiet please?" Steff says as she uses her powers to help unbag the groceries quietly.

"Steff, those two can sleep through an earthquake." Bobby replies.

"That may be true, but Sam's hearing is still sensitive now that he's a puppy." Steff explains to Bobby.

"How did that happen anyways, and believe me I know that lame story you fed to Dean and Michael was a lie." Bobby says as he watches the cat shift slowly as she looks to the floor.

"Me lying! Bobby I'm surprised that you would accuse lil' ol' me." Steff says feigning shock.

"Yeah let's just say I have a hunch; now care to tell me the real story?" Bobby says with a 'stop lying to me' tone. Neither noticed that Dean had entered the kitchen.

"Well I…." Steff starts, but then she notices Dean entering the kitchen, "Oh hi Dean."

"Don't mind me continue on with the real story." Dean says his voice tightened with anger and frustration that she would lie to him… again.

"Well I had gotten myself captured, and when Sam found me and he accidentally touched something he wasn't supposed to and poof we have puppy Sam. Then when I was walking out I slipped into some weird stuff, and now I can only shift between felines." Steff lies not really wanting to rat Gabriel out, still curious as to what he was trying to prove by turning Sam into a puppy.

"Ok that explains the transformation, but why did Gabriel show up?" Dean asks still not sure if Steff is lying to him or not.

"I had called Gabriel because it seemed like something he would know how to fix." Steff lies with an even tone allowing no sign of it to show.

"Well that makes sense I guess since he is a 'trickster' after all." Bobby adds to the conversation. Dean who still isn't buying it is about to talk when all of a sudden a blur of brown skids across the hardwood floor.

"Speak of the devil himself." Dean comments still angry with Steff, he knows she's lying.

"I really don't appreciate that Dean, I don't call you names." Lucifer says jokingly, while popping in.

"Damn idjit." Bobby says while watching Sam slide across the floor straight into his legs and knocking him over.

"Sorry Bobby. Your floor is slippery and these gigantic paws don't give me much traction." Sam says while licking Bobby's face in apology.

"Its alright Boy. Why don't you go outside for awhile?" Bobby suggests in an attempt to keep his house intact.

"Outside, I wanna go outside, I like outside, Bobby open the door for me please." Sam says hurriedly while running over to the door and begins scratching at it furiously. Bobby just shakes his head, and opens the door to let the overly excited Sam out. As soon as the door opens Sam bolts out, and starts running straight for the forest. Steff rushes out after him remembering what happened her, and Dean had gone into the forest alone. Sam can't stop himself when he rushes out the door towards the forest; it just has so many smells his instincts tell him he needs to smell all of them. The puppy just keeps running until he collides head on with a body. The body turns out to be Steff who had cut him off before he could enter the forest. Sam picks himself up and looks to see what had stopped him only to find it to be Steff in her lioness form; she begins to herd him back towards the yard.

"Steff I wanna go into the forest." Sam yips angrily, as he tries to push past the lioness.

"Sam you can't at least not without a person. Don't you remember what happened to me and Dean last time we wandered in there without a person?" Steff says trying to reason with the angry puppy.

"But you're a giant lioness now and you can still use your powers. So I think we would be fine." Sam argues, Steff who looks at the little crest-fallen puppy and sighs.

"Fine, but we have to stick together and no dashing off." Steff relents and wills a leash into existence that she fastens to Sam's collar then hooked the leash around a purple one on her own neck.

Five hours later

5 pm

When in the forest Sam starts off walking normal, but after about five hours Sam sticks his nose to the ground and broke into a dead run. Forcing Steff to run with him if she wanted to not be asphyxiated to death. After running like that for about two miles the pair comes to a small cliff with a river that runs to the pond where Dean and Steff had been kidnapped. Sam who hadn't noticed the sudden drop off, ran right off the cliff and Steff right behind him was being choked as Sam hung dangling right above the water's surface.

"Sam stop wiggling and I'll pull you up." Steff chokes out as she digs her claws into the dirt, but since it had rained recently her claws begin to slip.

"Steff help!" Sam barks loudly in fear as he dangles above the surface. Steff slowly backs up away from the cliff, but as she does the leash catches on a sharp branch and snaps. Causing Sam to plummet into the churning waters below, and starts to bob up and down.

"Sam! Hold on, I'm coming!" Steff shouts and dives into the water from off the cliff, and tries to swim over to the large drowning puppy. But the current picks up and now Sam is drifting farther and farther away. Steff picks up the pace and manages to grab Sam by the piece of broken leash still attached to the collar. With the leash in her mouth she drags Sam over to the bank, and heaves his soaking body up onto the shore.

"Sam, are you okay? Come on Sammy, please be alive." Steff says desperately as she licks his head and begins to nudge his limp body. She then tries to use her powers to bring him back, but it does nothing. Right when Steff is about to contemplate calling another angel, Sam makes a small coughing noise and spits up some water onto the ground.

"Sammy, are you alright?" Steff asks worriedly licking his face.

"Yeah I think so, but Steff I don't think I like the forest so much anymore." Sam says with a weak laugh as he coughs up some more water.

"Yeah me either Sam. Come on lets go home." Steff suggests as she picks up the puppy by the scruff and begins the long hike home.

10 pm

When they finally get to the house Steff takes Sam to the barn, and puts him in the stall she usually sleeps in. Steff puts Sam down then moves the cot out of the stall, and spreads the blanket on the ground. Then retrieves Sam and goes into the stall where she puts him down, and begins to groom the water off of Sam's wet body. Once she is satisfied that he's dry she goes to get up.

"Wait where are you going Steff?" Sam asks with mild distress as he goes to follow her.

"Sam hold on I was just gonna go get you some ham Bobby keeps out in the fridge in the barn's office. I'll be back in two shakes of a puppies tail." Steff says with a smile. Sam lies back down; Steff then gets the food and a bowl for some water. Steff comes back with the food and Sam greets her with a tail wag.

"How did you know Bobby keeps ham out here?" Sam asks excitedly as he grabs a piece and starts to eat it.

"I may have or may not have influenced him to put some in the fridge, when he came home earlier." Steff says slyly. Sam who was happily chewing stops mid-chew and gives her a wary look.

"Should I be worried?" Sam asks while going back to munching the piece of ham. Steff grabs a piece for herself, and wills some water into the bowl.

"No I only used it earlier, and I only use it when I want something." Steff clarifies trying to ease him a little.

"I'm sure you do." Sam says sarcastically as he takes a drink of water from the bowl.

"Me use my powers for evil; Sam I'm appalled you would even think that." Steff says while feigning hurt. Sam just wags his tail and walks over to where Steff is lying then lies down next to her and snuggles into her warm chest fur. Steff just smiles and curls her big lioness body around Sam's little puppy one protectively. This is how Dean finds the pair when he looks for them. He can't help, but smile at the large lioness snuggling with the fluffy puppy.

"Night guys." Dean says softly as he closes the barn door, then walks back to the house and goes to sleep in his bed.

"Dean we need to talk." Castiel states right before Dean falls asleep.

"What could you possibly have to tell me Cas?" Dean asks wearily.

"It is about Steff and Lucifer." Castiel says.

"What's wrong with Steff and Lucifer besides the obvious reasons, I mean he is the Devil after all." Dean says alertly as most traces of tiredness leaving his body at the mention of danger and Steff.

"She has been lying to you a lot lately, and recently about what happened to her and Sam." Castiel says.

"Yeah Steff lies a lot, but that's not anything new. What is wrong with her and Lucifer exactly?" Dean asks trying to get straight to the point.

"Lucifer has been influencing your sister too much recently, and the real reason your brother and sister are stuck in animal forms is because our brother has a twisted mind sometimes." Castiel explains apologetically.

"Yeah I figured it was Gabriel when Steff wouldn't let Sam tell the story, but the real question is why would Gabriel do that." Dean asks Castiel hoping he has an answer.

"I can think of none, you could try asking him yourself." Castiel suggests helpfully.

"Well I really don't care that much as long as they turn back soon." Dean relents and goes to fall asleep. Castiel realizing he has fixed nothing sits on Sam's bed and stares at Dean.

"You need to wake up we have solved nothing yet Dean." Castiel prods.

"Cas can we solve this in the morning I'm tired, why don't go tell Lucifer to stop influencing her, or better yet ask Steff about it." Dean says tiredly.

"Fine I shall wait here till morning." Castiel says while lying down on the bed, and staring up at the ceiling. When Dean awakes the next morning he completely ignores Cas' suggestion, and goes on his daily business and this is how it goes for a couple of days.


	16. Kicked Puppies and Accidental accidents

Three days later

A few days later Dean awoke to a loud snarling sound coming up from the living room.

"How could you kick him you bastard!" Steff's fierce roar comes up the stairs. Dean rushes downstairs to find Steff hovering as a lioness over the limp body of Sam.

"What happened?" Dean asks the group: Lucifer, Bobby, Castiel, and Michael.

"He kicked Sam accidentally when Sam was by him." Bobby tells Dean.

"Bobby who kicked him?" Dean asks as he notices Steff ready to rip someone's throat out.

"Him." Steff growls viciously as she gestures to Lucifer as she picks up a limp Sammy and heads outside.

"It was an accident, Sweetheart come back I didn't mean to hurt him. I forgot he is weak like that, I'm sorry!" Lucifer shouts apologetically after Steff who slams the backdoor shut.

"How did you accidentally kick him?" Dean asks Lucifer who looks like a kicked puppy himself even more so then Sam did.

"I was reading a book and when I went to get up I never noticed him. My foot only grazed him I thought… until he slammed up against the coffee table, and Steff only saw the last part. Then went from house cat to lioness in like two seconds flat." Lucifer explains apologetically.

"So let me get this straight, you accidentally slammed Sammy against a table, and Steff only saw that part." Dean says while rubbing his forehead in frustration.

"Yeah ever since the second night those two have been near inseparable." Bobby comments as he picks up a book Sam had been reading earlier as a puppy, having Steff turn the pages for him with her powers.

"It may have something to do with the fact that Sam almost drowned in a river." Castiel adds helpfully.

"WHAT?" Bobby and Dean exclaim.

"Yes they were in the woods when Sam fell into the river and Steff managed to save him, but only barely… Did she not tell you?" Castiel says in confusion.

"No, they don't come in the house much. Most of the time they play in the yard and they sleep in the barn." Dean says trying to recall the past few days.

"I see." Castiel says.

"I suppose this is one way to get her to stop liking Lucifer." Dean remarks quietly.

"Why should she not like me Dean?" Lucifer questions angrily.

"Oh uhh… I mean…. You know what we are just worried that Steff is being influenced by your mischievous ways, and Cas just pointed it out to me a few days ago." Dean explains meekly while gesturing to the guardian angel.

"Castiel you should not mettle with my mate and our relationship." Lucifer threatens and right as he looks like he might hurt Cas; Steff tackles him as a lioness.

"Leave Cas alone you son of a bitch… I knew I should have listened to him when he said you were dangerous." She spits at Lucifer before he can even get a word out, "You know what Lucifer just go…Get out of here I never wanna see you again."

"Steff wait it's not…" Lucifer starts.

"Lucifer if you don't leave right now I will kill you." Steff vows as she advances to him threateningly.

"Steff please listen to me…" Lucifer tries to begin again, but is cut off by a roar.

"Lucifer, just go." Castiel says to him with an apologetic glance. Lucifer disappears and Steff rises up then begins to exit.

"Steff wait that wasn't what it looked like just let…." Dean tries to explain, but Steff has had enough for today so she refuses to listen to him.

"No I don't want to hear it, I am going. Sam is in the barn resting, he's fine I healed his injuries." Steff says as she walks towards the door.

"Steff you need to listen to me." Castiel urges.

"No, I'm done listening; I am going to leave for awhile I have questions that need answers that none of you have." Steff says solemnly.

"I will not let you abandon him while he is stuck as a puppy, who can protect him when you're gone… the Steff I know would never abandon Sammy to face this on his own." Dean says persuasively hoping to make her see reason.

"Fine I shall take him with me, if you wish the responsibility gone." Steff says her voice sounding hollow.

"Wait that's not what I meant… Steff just waits a minute we need to talk." Dean says again.

"No the time for talk is over, so unless you are going to stop me I am leaving with Sam. I have discovered that I can fly or teleport or whatever it's called again. So don't bother looking for a trail Dean." Steff says with finality. So with that the lioness walks out of the house, and to the barn where Sam is resting. At the sight of Steff, he jumps up and runs over to her.

"Hey Sam wanna go meet some wolves in Alaska?" Steff asks quickly knowing if she doesn't hurry the men will try and stop her.

"Steff sure that would be awesome, but what about Dean and Bobby." Sam asks as he trots over to her tail wagging.

"I just told them we're going, so let's go." Steff says as she leans down to grab Sam securely by the scruff, "hold your breath Sam." Sam takes a deep breath and holds it.

Alaskan Wilderness

Steff flies off to Alaska and spots the nearest pack of wolves. She mentally tells them that they mean no harm. The pack is wary of them, but Steff offers a caribou carcass as a show of peace.

"Sam we're here." Steff says and watches as his eyes light up at seeing the wolves, but soon he begins to shiver since he doesn't have thick fur like the wolves.

"Sssstefff I'm colddd." Sam chatters out; Steff walks over to him and creates a barrier around him to keep the cold out.

"There, now lets go meet some wolves." Steff says cheerily, watching as Sam sinks a little in the deep snow, but the puppy still wagging his tail in excitement. She approaches the alpha wolf, and when the alpha sees the puppy with them. He immediately takes them to the den designated for mothers and pups.

"How come these wolves are so willing to trust us? Since you're a lioness and I'm a Labrador retriever puppy." Sam asks while following Steff into the warm cave.

"I gave them a caribou carcass since hunting has been poor in this region. Plus I don't think they really care about the whole species thing, we're just animals to them. Well strange looking animals, but animals all the same." Steff answers as she sits on the ground and Sam comes over and lies between her forelegs sensing her sadness.

"You know Lucifer didn't hit me on purpose, I should have been watching where I was going its not his fault. So don't let this ruin your bond with him." Sam says trying to explain the situation.

"Really?" Steff asks looking for any signs of lying.

"Yes, it was just an accident." Sam says while rubbing his body on her warm fur comfortingly.

"Well then I suppose I owe him an apology then." Steff says still a little angry with herself for having thought he would have hurt Sam on purpose.

"Steff what's eating at you anyways?" Sam asks curiously wondering how someone can be depressed while out in the beautiful Alaskan wilderness while living with a pack of Gray wolves.

"It's nothing Sam, come on lets go to sleep." Steff suggests as she gets up and heads to the back of the den where it's warmer.

"Steff, I may be a puppy and not always act like it lately, but I am still your older brother and I can tell when something is bothering you." Sam says while following her to the back of the den.

"Sam I'm tired can we talk tomorrow?" Steff asks while lying down.

"Sure." Sam answers while curling up next to her and they both fall asleep.

Five days later

Steff spends five days dodging Sam's advances at trying to figure out what was wrong with her.

"Steff come on just tell me what's wrong, this is getting ridiculous. Did you or him do something unforgivable?" Sam persists while chasing her in the snow.

"Sam its nothing like that…. I just…. Never mind." Steff mutters while walking away from Sam.

"Steff please I hate seeing you like this, all moody and hurt." Sam says while sprinting after her.

"Sam just leave it ok, I don't want to talk about it…. Hey when do you think the spell will wear off?" Steff says to him as he glares at her.

"Don't change the sub…" Sam starts, but doesn't get to finish as him and Steff change back into people and naked. Steff having figured that was coming snaps the appropriate clothing on Sam and her.

"So what do you want to do now? We could go to Africa and hang out with my lioness friend and her cubs." Steff suggests hopefully making him forget about his earlier attempts at finding out at what was wrong.

"No Steff, its time to go home. I'm sure Dean and Bobby are worried sick." Sam states with his usual big brother authority.

"Sam I think I like you better as a puppy, much more carefree." Steff comments with a pout.

"Well I am a person now so take me back." Sam demands while wearing a scowl on his face.

"Fine." Steff sighs and with that she flies them inside Bobby's house, but when she tries to fly out she can't.

"Gotcha!" Dean exclaims triumphantly as he jumps up from the kitchen table.

"Ahh hell! I should have seen that one coming. Alright Cas come on out I can feel your presence from in there." Steff says while walking over to the door opening it, but when she tries to walk through it she felt like she had walked straight into a brick wall. Dean and Bobby walk in from the kitchen while Cas comes out of the shadows. Then another presence hits her and stops her heart mid beat.

"Steff we just want to talk." Dean says while holding his arms up to show he meant no harm. Steff begins to back away from all the men while they cornered her.

"Well I don't really feel like listening, so if I could just squeeze by yah." Steff says as she pushes her way through the group.

"Now Steff I really don't advise that." Bobby says as Cas comes up behind her.

"Is this an intervention? Cause it feels like one I promise I will lay off the weed." Steff says hoping to get away feeling him getting closer.

"No this isn't a… Wait you still smoke weed?" Sam says in wonderment imagining a lioness smoking a blunt.

"Occasionally, but I'm sensing this is not about that. Hmmm… judging by the look on Dean's face and the all to familiar presence of Him…. This is about our falling out." Steff says sarcastically as the smile on her face falls from her lips.

"Well aren't you just the most intuitive lioness." Lucifer growls from the couch.

"Lucifer that is really not helping." Bobby scolds the angel.

"Yeah Luci, waita be counter productive." Steff says in a childish tone from across the room.

"You don't get to do that either." Dean scolds Steff, who pouts at him.

"Alright I don't know what happened to you two idjits, but fix it." Bobby says in a fatherly way.

"I'm not sure it was ever broke." Steff says with a glare to Lucifer.

"Oh don't play innocent, you know exactly what's wrong Steff." Lucifer says accusingly.

"Really do I?" Steff asks sarcastically as she begins to walk away.

"Well there you go again… If you don't like the situation just run away." Lucifer says sharply, while throwing his hands up in anger.

"Go to Hell!" Steff says while pushing past everyone to go down to the panic room.

"I live there!" Lucifer shouts while chasing her down the stairs. Dean, Bobby, Sam, and Castiel just kinda stare after them. None of them really want to go down the stairs, and stop when they hear Steff yelling hysterically and Lucifer yelling back at her.

"Fine, if I'm so awful then here!" Steff shouts in rage as she takes her bond with Lucifer and breaks it. Everyone feels the sudden change in the air pressure, and the audible gasps that come from both angels.

"What did you do?" Lucifer asks in disbelief.

"I did what you wanted Lucifer, since you dislike me so much I did the logical thing and ended it." Steff says while pushing past the Fallen Angel staring at her with a hurt expression. Castiel realizing this argument has been made worse releases the magic holding the angels there. Lucifer instantly flies back down to Hell where his fallen notice that he is alone. He locks himself in a room that holds souls where he begins to torture them, and stays there no matter how much his comrades try to get him to talk about what happened. While Steff does what she's best at and flies past the men who are looking at her warily, hoping for an explanation. Steff flies until her wings give out and since she's an angel that's a far way. She ends up in Australia in the middle of a confused tribe of Aborigines. Steff rests for a minute than flies to Antarctica to be as cold as she feels on the outside as she feels on the inside. She just sits outside and lets the wind and snow surround her. Steff sits there undisturbed for about a week her grace keeping her on the edge of life, and honestly she finds that she could care less about being alive after what she did to Lucifer, how she hurt the man who she loves.

Back at Bobby's

About a week later

"Cas, it's been a week go find her." Dean commands Castiel.

"As much as I hate to agree with Dean. I think he might be right on this one." Sam agrees hesitantly.

"Dean, leave the damn girl be. She's been through some heavy stuff." Bobby tells Dean knowing what it felt like to fight with one's spouse.

"Wait this wasn't just one of their normal fights?" Dean questions.

"No Dean, Steff ended the bond connecting her to Lucifer." Castiel explains quietly knowing this was his fault. Dean just stands there still looking confused. "It is what you humans would compare to marriage, but unlike marriage it is much deeper than just a piece of paper." Castiel explains, but right as he is about to explain more Lucifer shows up.

"The bond I had with your sister was very deep… we used to be able to feel each other's moods, but lately she has become estranged to me. We used to be so synchronized, but she seems to pull away from me. Its as though she thinks my love will suddenly end for her." Lucifer explains sadly.

"Lucifer then go find her, and fix it!" Dean shouts in frustration.

"Dean don't you get it! I can't just go find her anymore the bond has been broken. She still has Michael's bond, but I doubt he could find her. In Hell I tried to track her, but she is blocking everyone probably even Cas too." Lucifer shouts back at him in anger.

"Did any of you idjits ever just call for her?" Bobby asks them. All of them exchange glances seeing if the other might have tried that yet.

"No." They all say at once.

"Then before you guys do something to make this worse, just call for the damn girl." Bobby says like it's the obvious way to fix it.

"Steff can you come back we are worried about you." Sam shouts into the air. Nothing happens for a minute or two when suddenly Steff appears. The men stare at her current state of health. When Lucifer sees his mate looking like she had been freezer burned. he can't help, but rush over then embrace her. Steff just stands there stunned that Lucifer was actually touching her… let alone hugging her.

"Sweetheart I'm sorry for what I said. It's just the way you snapped at me when I accidentally kicked him. I swear I still love you even when you run cause I am all about the chase." Lucifer smirks as he goes to touch his wings to hers, but Steff backs up out of his reach.

"Lucifer I'm sorry, but I can't… I just can't do that to you again. I won't be the one to break your heart again." Steff says sorrowfully at the ground, still not willing to look into anyone's eyes. Lucifer gently cups her chin and tries pulls her into a kiss, but Steff pulls away.

"Steff I will always love you, no matter how many times you break my heart. Michael always said I was a glutton for punishment." Lucifer says to Steff with a smile. She notices how sincere his voice is.

"Lucifer…" Steff starts.

"Steff just accept the bond." Castiel says sadly.

"Wait Cas this whole thing started because of you. You said he was turning me evil." Steff says in confusion; everyone turns to Cas with questioning glances.

"Steff please I was wrong to say what I said, I am sorry I have caused this." Castiel says sadly.

"It's alright Cas it is partly my fault too; I get so protective when Sam is in danger even if it was an accident." Steff finishes while flexing her wings towards Lucifer and the bond reforms on both of their wrists. Lucifer sighs in relief when he can feel Steff's bond deep inside his soul.

"Well its good to be back." Lucifer says as he wraps Steff in his wings. Steff smiles deep into Lucifer's chest allowing him to pick her up for a few minutes.

"Luci, put down I'm still a little stiff." Steff says as Lucifer lowers her to the ground.

"What did you guys do all last week?" Dean asks while looking at the two angels.

"Well I tortured souls before the fallen restrained me, and forced me to talk about it." Lucifer admits, glad he had such great friends.

"Steff what did you do?" Sam asks noticing the chunks of ice on her wings.

"I flew to Antarctica and sat in the middle of a blizzard." Steff says while trying to get her feathers back in place.

"Here let me help you Steff." Dean says as he moves behind her and begins to untangle feathers.

"Dean I …" Steff starts, but is cut off by the moan that falls from her lips. Dean just laughs and keeps untangling.

"Dean quit molesting your sister its weird." Bobby shouts and Steff who is still moaning at Dean's ministrations.

"Stop now, before I rip your hands away from your wrists." Lucifer threatens smile still on his face. Dean instantly stops fixing the feathers and backs away.

"Why did you stop?" Steff whimpers because the feathers still itch, and Dean had almost fixed them.

"Does the wittle angel enjoy getting her wings fixed by her big brother?" Dean mocks in a baby voice. Steff instantly feels embarrassment and anger flush unto her skin.

"Go to Hell Dean! Wait I'll take you." Steff says while grabbing his arm quickly before someone can stop her, and flies him down to where souls are tortured.

"Steff where the hell are we?" Dean looks around in horror to see demons brutally torturing souls.

"Ahh Steff I see you have brought another one for the pits. Here I shall lead him there." Bahzemet says with a wink to Steff. Bahzemet takes Dean by the arm and leads him to a pit. Once there, he pushes him down into it and begins to walk away.

"Steff this isn't funny let me out!" Dean shouts in panic from the pit. Steff and Bahzemet begin laughing as they walk away.

"Hey I'll come get him in like an hour or two, make sure nobody actually hurts him. He is very fragile." Steff explains while Bahzemet nods and she flies back to Bobby's house.

Bobby's House

"Where is Dean?" Sam asks a little scared of the answer.

"He was being a bully so I put him where bullies go when they die." Steff says with a devil may care attitude.

"Steffanie Marie Winchester you will bring Dean back right now!" Sam commands with a stomp of his foot, meanwhile Bobby and Lucifer are just laughing slightly.

"Why, you gonna make me?" Steff asks trying to provoke him.

"Don't make me do it, angel or not I will do it." Sam threatens.

"No you won't, and if you tried to do it you couldn't even hold me down long enough to do it." Steff threatens while walking over to Lucifer just in case Sam tries.

"You wanna bet… If he isn't back here by the time I count to ten you'll find out." Sam threatens again while walking towards where Steff is hiding behind Lucifer. Steff who is now shaking a little behind Lucifer as Sam stalks over. Lucifer who is curious as to what could scare the girl, so bad moves out of the way and Sam tackles Steff to the ground.

"One…. Two…. Three…. Four…. Five." Sam stops and still no Dean so he continues, "Six…Seven…. Eight. …Nine. Steff bring him back now."

"Sam get the hell off me! Lucifer help!" Steff shouts as Sam flips her over so she is lying on her stomach.

"Sweetheart just bring Dean back, and I am sure Sam will let you up." Lucifer says as he tries to reason with the angel.

"No he was being mean to me, and he deserves it this time." Steff pouts as Sam grabs her wings roughly.

"Fine have it your way. Ten." Sam roughly pulls some of the more sensitive feathers out near the base of the wing bones.

"Ow, Dammit Sam that hurts!" Steff shouts as she tries to buck him off her back.

"Steff all you had to do was bring him back." Sam says as he regains his balance, and reaches for another few feathers.

"Fine you asshat. Here's your precious Dean." Steff says with tears in her eyes while Dean pops back in on the couch.

"Steff what the hell!" Dean shouts in surprise at Steff.

"Thank god your alright." Sam sighs with relief as he lets Steff up. Steff who still has tear tracks down her eyes walks down to the panic room and locks the door behind her.

"Oh good job Sammy! Look now you pissed her off again. What did you do that for?" Dean scolds Sam.

"She wouldn't bring you back, so I pulled a few of her feathers out. She isn't hurt that bad she is probably more embarrassed." Sam comments quietly knowing Steff is being overly dramatic.

"Sam you know what pit she put me in." Dean asks and Sam shakes his head in no.

"No, I figured Hell in general is pretty bad." Sam mentions quietly.

"The pit she put me in was one of a person who was afraid of the sun and the beach." Dean states with a smile.

"WHAT!" Sam exclaims in surprise.

"Yeah she put me on the beach by the ocean on a sunny day." Dean says while laughing.

"So basically Steff gave you a vacation. Well I guess that explains why she didn't bring you back, or take my threats seriously." Sam remarks.

"Dude, you should go apologize." Dean says like its obvious.

"Well she should have told me you weren't in 'Hell' per se." Sam says angrily.

"You should have trusted her more." Lucifer interjects as he brushes some dirt off his pants.

"Who asked you, Lucifer?" Sam snaps at the angel.

"My someone's testy." Lucifer comments as he goes down to the panic room to comfort Steff only to find she is not there. So Lucifer walks upstairs to see the boys still arguing, "If either of you care she is not here anymore. In fact she is in Heaven…with…Michael I think." The boy's stop arguing about who should apologize and both let out a "Dammit all straight to Hell!"

"Actually the more accurate term would be 'Dammit all straight to Heaven'." Lucifer adds with a smug smile.

"Lucifer go find your wife, or someone else to bother." Sam snaps at him.

"If Steff comes looking for me tell her I had some souls to torture in Hell." Lucifer says pleasantly while handing them Steff's note and then disappearing to Hell.


	17. Kids Do the Stupidest Things... And So do Adults

Heaven

Steff had flown to Heaven not because she was mad at Sam for pulling her feathers, but mad at the fact that Sam thought she would put Dean in Hell for real. Though when she thought about it she probably could have just brought Dean back, but where was the fun in that… plus her brother had been enjoying himself on the sunny beach. Also Steff even left a note on the wall of where she was going. Michael had called her earlier that month, asking for a favor, and who was Steff to deny her friend. Now when Steff arrives in the heaven designated for training younger angels. She instantly compares it to an out of control daycare center. Apparently there was a shortage of older angels to help with training the younger ones. Upon entering the heaven Steff watched as all thirty of the young angel fledglings swarm around her. Sensing that she was not one of the usual teachers, and curious as to what this strange new angel could teach them.

"Who are you? I am Lilliael, but my friends call me Lilly." A teenage girl angel with steel gray wings with cyan flecks throughout them asks while extending a wing in friendship.

"I'm Steff, and it is nice to meet you Lilly." Steff responds smiling at the young girls straightforwardness, and touches her dark black feathers to the gray ones.

"I am Vernael, you have beautiful wings Steff." A teenage boy angel with dark chocolate wings with dark blue tips compliments from behind Steff, and some of the other teenage angels to mumble compliments at the strangers dark wings.

"Thank you everyone you all too have beautiful wings, and it is a shame that I don't have time to meet you all, but can you all now point me as to where Michael is?" Steff says while trying to locate Michael amidst the chaos.

"Steff there you are, and I see you have met your two students for the day." Michael comments as he walks over, while the two teenage angels walk over to them.

"Students… what could I possibly teach them?" Steff asks while giving Michael a doubtful look.

"Steff you doubt yourself, you're a very powerful angel, but its not surprising considering who your bond mates are. " Michael says while puffing out his wings in pride.

"Alright fluffy calm down…. What am I supposed to be teaching Vernael and Lilly?" Steff asks excited to work with the teens, she had wanted to be a teacher before Hell.

"Something you have always been good at." Michael says slowly trying to get her guess.

"Running away from emotional situations? Or tricking other angels, I'm pretty good at that." Steff prompts him with a smirk.

"No you will not be corrupting angelic youths, you are to teach them animal transformations." Michael says sharply as he begins to corral the other younger angels to their lessons, leaving Steff alone with the two teenage angels.

"Who are your mates Steff?" Vernael asks nosily.

"Vern that is very rude, you don't just ask that to angels you have just met." Lilly says as she thumps Vernael on the back of the head with her wing.

"Ow Lilly! I was just curious and Steff doesn't seem like an uptight angel, so I figured it was okay." Vernael reasons while rubbing the back of his head.

"I can see you two are curious… you may sense that I am not a normal angel, so I shall answer your questions. First off my mate is the Fallen Angel, Morning Star who also gave me grace. Second my other bond mate is Archangel Michael…. Now anymore questions before we get started?" Steff says while looking at the two young angels who are staring at her in reverence.

"That's so cool! Lilly we are going to be taught by the righteous lady, the one who saved Lucifer, the Angelic Huntress." Vernael shouts out in admiration realizing whom he has just met.

"Wait… what did you just call me?" Steff stares at him in confusion having never heard those nicknames before.

"That is what you are known as to the angels among Heaven, up here Steff you are a big inspiration among the female angels since you are one of the few female archangels." Lilly explains her voice also tinted with admiration.

"Well… uhh… thanks I guess and tell the other female angels that we can do it just as well as the male angels…. If not better." Steff says to Lilly who smiles at the praise.

"Angelic Huntress who would have ever thought that we, just mere guardian angels in training would ever meet her." Vernael says sounding like he might faint.

"Vernael never underestimate guardian angels. Take Balth and Cas for instance those two still save my ass from time to time." Steff comments as she watches the teens swell with pride having had Balthazar and Castiel as their teachers too.

"Yeah Vernael never doubt even the lowest choire angel." Lucifer says as he appears beside Steff. The younger two just stare their looks going from fear to excitement at having met the most famous fallen angel.

"Hey Luci, you're distracting my students…. Plus aren't you supposed to be banned from here?" Steff questions while catching Vernael as he passes out, and Lucifer catches Lilly before she falls over.

"Are these two ok?" One of the other angel instructors asks as he walks over then notices Lucifer and falls over too. Michael having felt his brother's presence walks over.

"Lucifer get out of here, you are causing my students to be afraid." Michael scolds as he walks over to revive the downed instructor.

"I just came to help Steff, since it is her first time teaching." Lucifer says calmly trying to soothe his flustered brother then mumbles, "Someone needs a vacation." Michael just glares at him.

"Alright Lucifer just go I can handle it, once I revive these two. I mean I'm pretty good at transforming, but I'll call if I need help." Steff says while shaking the two teenage angels awake.

"Be careful Vernael seems to think he has chance at bonding with you, and I would hate to have to threaten the poor kid." Lucifer warns as he kisses her quickly.

"Go Luci before I bond with him just to piss you off." Steff says with an angry glare causing Lucifer to disappear, "Okay you two let's get down to business. Do either of you know what kind of felines you are?" Steff asks while effortlessly turning into a black cat with indigo tipped: ears, tail, and paws, then shifting back. The teenagers both shake their heads in no. Then she instructs them to focus on being a cat, but after about fifteen tries later with no real success they take a break and Steff decides its time for a pep talk.

"Well don't feel bad it took Lucifer forever to teach me." Steff lies trying to keep their spirits up.

"Steff I don't think we can, we aren't like you." Vernael admits sadly.

"Vern, Lilly you guys can't give up. When Azazel trapped me, forced into my cat form. When I was injured I still knew I had to save Balthazar when the vampires were about to take his grace. I knew I had to save him even if I was a tiny cat. So if I can do that then you two can definitely turn into cats real easy. You two just got to have some self-confidence, try again I'll help you this time." Steff says while preparing to use her grace to help make the transition easier. Vernael goes first and wills himself to change, Steff reaches out to him and lends just a tiny smidge of grace. The teen then manages the rest of the transformation on his own.

"Vernael you did it!" Lilly exclaims in excitement, and Steff cheers him on. Vernael was a chocolate flame point cat with dark blue tipped tail, ears, and paws.

"Look I'm a cat! Lilly come on you can do it then we can go mess with Michael!" Vernael exclaims, Steff raises an eyebrow 'so much for corruption' she thinks.

"Okay… I'll try." Lilly says shakily. Lilly begins to concentrate on being a cat and right as the girl is about to fail. Steff lends just a smidge of her grace to the young angel causing Lilly to change into a steel gray flame point cat with cyan tipped tail, ears, and paws.

"Lilly I knew you could do it! Steff knew you could too, right?" Vernael exclaims while puffing his chest in pride. Steff praises the two, and notices their similar coat pattern.

"Are you guys brother and sister?" Steff asks curious as to how else their pattern could be the same.

"Yeah, how did you guess? Wait Steff what's wrong?" Lilly asks Steff noticing how she gets misty eyed.

"Nothing I was just thinking of my human brothers who are…currently hunting a wendigo in Colorado. Hey do you guys want to come with me? You can meet the famous Winchester trio… Wait can you guys fly yet, if not I can help you." Steff offering her hands for the teens to take, really just wanting to reward them for their transformations.

"Heck yeah, Lilly come on let's go!" Vernael shouts excitedly as he turns back into a teen and takes the hand extended to him.

"Sure hold on a minute." Lilly says as she turns back and grabs the other hand. Steff flies them down to the motel where the boys are hanging out after the hunt.

"Hello." Steff says happily as her brother's look up to find Steff holding the hands of a teenage boy and girl. The boy looks very excited, but the girl looks wary of the brothers.

"Hey Steff…. Why do you have children? Oh please don't tell me Lucifer knocked you up." Dean says while advancing towards them. The girl shrinks behind Steff and the boy puffs out his chest ready to defend him sister from the man.

"Vernael, Lilliael this is Dean." Steff says while pointing to him. Vernael and Lilliael hold their hands out to Dean in greeting, and Sam who is curious of the teenagers gets up to walk over to them. But both the teens instantly hide behind Steff, and while coaxing them out she tells them, "Guys that freakishly tall man is my other brother Sam, he's really a gentle giant."

"Dean, back off your scaring the poor angels." Sam says while pulling Dean back a little.

"Actually I think you are Gigantor." Dean points out while pulling out of Sam's grip.

"Neither of you scare me." Vernael states confidently while going to shake Sam's hand.

"Lilly I promise they won't hurt you, and if they attempt to. I will turn them into goldfish faster then you can call for Michael." Steff assures Lilly trying to coax her to talk. Lilly who cautiously walks out, and shakes both men's hands then walks over to Vernael standing by him quietly.

"So I am still curious as to why you have two teenage angel children…. Wait is that why you have been so moody." Dean asks, but instantly regrets it as he is then turned into his cat form. Lilly who notices the distressed cat, smiles while walking over to him. She then picks him up while sitting on the bed, and begins to stroke him soothingly. Dean tries to wriggle away from the teen angel, but stops once she scratches under his chin.

"No Dean, if you had read the note I left it said Michael needed to me to train some angels." Steff clarifies while watching Vernael turn into his cat form, and jump on Sam's lap expecting to be petted.

"My someone's friendly all of the sudden." Sam comments as he pets the silky cats fur.

"What were you teaching them?" Dean purrs from Lilly's lap, glad to see the girl smiling instead of hiding behind her brother meekly.

"How to transform into their feline forms and they did really great, so I figured going to Earth as a reward. Although Michael might get angry when he notices they're missing." Steff grimaces slightly at the thought of his retaliation.

"It's alright Steff cause this is friggin awesome… Plus he never said where you had to teach us, just tell him we were practicing on Earth… technically its not a lie." Vernael purrs as Sam pets him.

"Vernael we can't lie to Archangel Michael. That's not what good guardian angels do." Lilly says with mild disdain.

"Lilly stop being a buzz kill. Balthazar is a great guardian angel and he lies all the time, he even has a Fallen Angel as his mate. He gave up all the bonds he had for Bernael." Vernael argues with her as he twitches his tail.

"Vern you are such a jerk sometimes." Lilly says while petting Dean.

"Yeah well Lilly if you weren't such a bit…" Vernael starts from Sam's lap.

"Don't finish that statement Vernael, or I'll take you back to Heaven." Steff says in a warning tone. Vernael just huffs and lies back down on Sam's lap. The angels and cats settle in for the rest of the day. When Steff turns Dean back into a person he went for a food run. He came back with a couple salads, and some burgers not really sure what angels eat.

"So Vern what do you two eat?" Dean questions while biting into a sandwich.

"Uhh…Dean purebred angels don't need to eat." Vernael answers him.

"Wait so why do you still have to eat then Steff?" Dean asks Steff.

"Because she was a human first before she gained angelic powers." Lilly says, while flipping through one of their lore books.

"Oh, well I guess that makes sense." Sam states after finishing his meal. After the food Dean flips on the TV, and the angel teens come over and sit beside him.

"What is that?" Lilly asks curiously while staring at the screen.

"That's a TV Lilly, it's a form of entertainment." Steff clarifies for the girl as she turns into a lioness and jumps onto a bed.

"Whoa you can turn into a lioness too!" Vernael exclaims as he jumps off Sam's lap still as a cat, and pads over to the bed Steff was laying on.

"Yeah you two will probably able to turn into something else once your powers come in fully." Steff replies with a yawn as she closes her eyes and falls asleep.

A few hours later

Steff is awoken to the sound of teenagers arguing with Dean about who is their favorite Avenger.

"Thor is so much better than Captain America he has actual powers Dean." Vernael shouts heatedly at Dean.

"What! The guy would be useless without that hammer." Dean shouts back at him.

"I like Iron Man." Lilly adds quietly while looking at Sam.

"Yeah me too Lilly." Sam agrees.

"The two who really piss me off are Black Widow and Hawk Eye. Literally all those two can do is spy and shoot arrows, anyone can do that." Steff points out while turning back into a person and stretching her large wings out.

"Steff when do we have to go back?" Lilly asks quietly not really wanting to leave their new friends.

"What time is it?" Steff asks as she stretches her back.

"About eight thirty." Sam answers while standing up from the couch, and walking over to the other bed.

"Well I hate to say it but…." Steff starts but when she stands up she feels her grace turn ice cold, and not the cold when Lucifer is near but the kind that means danger, "No… they wouldn't… would they?"

"Steff what's wrong?" Sam asks noticing her change of demeanor.

"I'm really sorry about this guys, but you need to leave now." Steff apologizes as she turns Dean back into a cat and Sam into a puppy.

"What the hell Steff! Turn us back." Dean demands. Steff ignores his comment, and puts him in Vernael's arms while handing Sam to Lilly.

"Vern take them and your sister to Heaven, find Michael he'll know what to do." Steff commands strictly.

"What is happening Steff?" Lilly asks while holding Sam tightly against her.

"Werewolves…. to many for me to defend you all against… now do as I say take them to Michael. I'll hold them off, keep going, and don't look back. Now go!" Steff says while she uses some of her grace to help them with the difficult flight. The teens take off, and Vernael turned back just in time to see Steff smite a few werewolves only to be tackled by another.

"Steff no!" Vernael shouts in the air. Steff must have heard him because she says,

"As guardian angels your first job is to protect humanity." Vernael hears her shout, and watches only to see her punched in the back of the head knocked unconscious then being dragged away.

Heaven

Once they arrive in Heaven they put the boys down, and they turn back into people. Michael sensing their return walks over only to notice the Winchester brothers are here and the students are here, but no Steff.

"Where is Steff, and why are the Winchesters here?" Michael asks a grim-faced Vernael and sees the tear-streaked face of Lilly.

"Lilliael, Vernael what is going on?" Michael asks again, and still receives nothing but empty stares and tears.

"Dean, Sam where is she?" Michael asks again voice becoming pitchy with worry.

"Werewolves… said she would hold them off while we made a break for it and then told the angels to find you." Sam says finding his voice suddenly.

"She killed a few, but they eventually got her. She used most of her grace to get us to safety." Vernael admits sadly.

"What do you mean used her grace?" Michael asks in confusion.

"She used it to turn her brothers into animals then used it to influence the wind to help us get enough lift to fly up here with them… since our wings aren't fully developed enough to carry more then just us." Lilly says with tears still running down her cheeks.

"I see, I shall inform Lucifer and take the Winchesters back to their home." Michael says with his tone evening out trying to calm the angels and humans.

"Wait, let us go with you we can help." Vernael and Lilly say ready to help their captured mentor.

"No you have done well, but I can not allow you to put yourselves further into harms way. She should have never taken you two from Heaven." Michael states with frustration.

"No we need to help you that's what guardian angels do, and our first job is to..." Vernael starts.

"As guardian angels our first job is to protect humanity." Lilly finishes having heard Steff too.

"No Michael is right, as much as I hate to agree with him. He's right about this we don't know why those wolves attacked. It could have been to get their hands on angelic youth or possibly another angel." Sam says trying to think of possible reasons for this kidnap.

"Man, it seems everyone and there mother wants to get Steff…. Seriously that girl can't go a week without getting in kidnapped." Dean says having gotten over the initial shock of being flown to Heaven.

"Yes I agree, but these two need to stay here while I take you two back and call Lucifer. He could have saved us all a lot of trouble if he would have just left Steff alone." Michael says wearily.

"Take that back Michael, you realized if he would have just left her alone she would be rotting in a pit for all eternity…. Michael I thought she was your bond mate and mates never leave mates to die." Vernael shouts accusingly at the archangel.

"Yeah and if Steff taught us anything today besides how to transform, and that her brothers are pretty cool for humans, its even the lowest angel can save someone. She saved Balthazar while stuck as a cat." Lilly shouts angrily at the archangel.

"What are you guys talking about?" Balthazar says while walking over to the arguing angels.

"Steff told us a little of how she saved you from getting your grace stolen." Vernael recalls.

"Oh yeah the time Azazel had captured us because Steff had broken wings, and Cas nor Michael bothered to heal them." Balthazar says and the teen's wince at how bad that must have hurt.

"Hey its not my fault the girl hid her pain very well from all of us." Castiel interjects.

"Yeah she had always been good at that." Dean adds.

"That is not the point! I don't care what Steff did when she was stuck as a cat. The point is that you two are to young and to inexperienced." Michael says with finality.

"Fine!" The young angels shout at him and go to their heaven secretly planning a rescue.

Meanwhile Bobby's house

It was Saturday and Bobby was drinking; now Bobby doesn't usually need an occasion to drink, but it so happens that he was celebrating his fiftieth birthday. The boys and their sister had told him they would stop by today so Bobby kept plenty of beer on hand, but they had yet to show up… and seeing as it was eleven forty eight at night Bobby was just about to turn in. When Bobby was about to head up the stairs to call it a night, seven angels and two people showed up. The angels were Michael, Cas, Balthazar, Lucifer, Samael, Xaphan, and Bernael. The two people were Sam and Dean.

"Idjits ain't it a little late." Bobby says a little drunk.

"Happy birthday, Bobby." Samael says pleasantly.

"Thanks, but can I ask you why you're all here." Bobby asks, but then notices they're one Winchester short.

"If you haven't noticed yet, we are short a huntress." Lucifer says bitterly, pissed that every freaking creature thinks its okay to steal his mate.

"Yeah I got that, but what happened?" Bobby asks as the realization chases the traces of alcohol from his mind.

"Well apparently she took her students to meet Sam and Dean. Werewolves attacked, but there was to many for her to handle on her own. Then while trying to get everyone to safety she used to much of her grace so she couldn't fight her way out, and according to Vernael she was knocked unconscious then dragged away to where we have no clue." Michael says trying to sum up the situation.

"Damn idjit, she always did try to save everyone even at her own risk." Bobby says, he had been having a pretty good birthday up until this.

"Yeah tell us about it. That's why we never took her hunting she was always to willing to be a sacrifice." Dean tells them.

"It's a damn miracle Lucifer did what he did to her otherwise she would probably be dead by now." Sam says.

"I bet she would make a fantastic angel of Death… I have always wanted a partner." Samael wonders out loud.

"Don't even think about it Samael, you'll be dead before you can flap your wings." Lucifer growls out protectively.

"But Lucifer she always did enjoy killing things." Samael argues while scowling at Lucifer. Lucifer who is not really in the mood for this, grabs Samael by the throat and slams him against a wall.

"I said no, Samael!" Lucifer shouts as he punctuates each word with a slam against the wall.

"Hey watch it! This is my only house you jackass!" Bobby says while glaring at Lucifer.

"My apologies Bobby." Lucifer says as he snaps his fingers and repairs the damage.

"So Lucifer, if you're done with your tantrum shall we figure out a way to get your lover back." Balthazar says impatiently knowing that if Steff was captured by werewolves it wasn't going to be pleasant for her.

"Balthazar don't tease him." Steff says barely alive, as she shows up covered in her own blood and others, held up by two young angels. All the adults and angels just stared with dumbfounded looks on their faces. Steff tries to walk over to Lucifer but stumbles, and falls to the ground.

"Easy there, Steff." Vernael says as he helps her up and over to Lucifer. Who nods his thanks, and let's Steff use him to lean on while he puts his arms around her gently holding her up.

"You two disobeyed my direct orders." Michael says with a stern glare.

"Michael they saved her when we all just stood here arguing. Don't reprimand them." Castiel says in outrage.

"Castiel remember your place, and I will do as I see fit." Michael snaps at Cas who balks and walks over to the young angels to protect them, "Castiel move!"

"No." Castiel says defiantly. Steff seeing the fight about to happen, wiggles out of Lucifer's arms, and barely able to stand. She walks over then stands in front of Cas, Vernael, and Lilliael.

"It is my fault Michael… I was not strong enough to defend against the wolves and I kind of took them from Heaven… So if anyone deserves punishment it's me, not them and Cas well not sure what his deal is but I probably deserve his too." Steff says as she barely manages to stand, wincing, and then tries to straighten up. Michael nods in okay and starts towards Steff who just wobbles back and forth, still holding his gaze with defiance, and determination still burning bright in her eyes as well. Steff stands up as much as possible and flares her wings out behind her trying to protect the angels as much as she can, which is really more of a hunch. Michael raises his hand, touches her forehead, and she instantly falls onto the floor unconscious.

"Michael what did you do?" Lucifer yells, as he kneels down to Steff and checks for a pulse finding one he stands up and walks in front of Cas, Lilliael, and Vernael then says defiantly, "You shall not hurt them."

"Lucifer move, don't make me cast you down once again." Michael says meeting his brother's challenge.

"Do what you must brother, but you will not harm these guardian angels even if I have to die. My mate thought they were worth saving, so I shall protect them to even if it costs my life." Lucifer says rebelliously. Michael seeing his brother's conviction on this one backs off.

"I shall not harm them." Michael relents.

"Good now give me a hand with my mate, who you just knocked out." Lucifer says, as he looks the younger angels over for injuries, but finds none.

"I did it for her own good… she was going to injure herself further protecting them, and all I was going to do was slap them upside the head. Do you really think I would hurt two angels who saved another angel?" Michael questions with a mischievous smirk.

"Well Michael you do have a tendency to go over board sometimes." Balthazar comments quietly as he looks at Steff on the ground.

"Okay if you weren't gonna hurt us then why didn't you say so before Steff thought you were gonna kill us?" Vernael asks while moving out from behind Lucifer and Cas.

"Cause I wanted you guys to think you were in trouble. Plus I wanted to see how badly hurt Steff was before she could lie to us and say it was nothing." Michael says with a smile to the young angels. Lucifer just chuckles at his brother's behavior as he begins to heal Steff; while he touches her arm he notices a syringe mark.

"Lilliael what happened here and how did you find her?" Lucifer asks while he heals a broken finger and points to the mark.

"Also how did you know where to bring her here?" Samael asks.

"Samael go back to Hell before I kill you." Lucifer growls out still a little pissed at him for earlier. Samael taking the hint flies back down to Hell. Bernael and Balthazar also take off realizing they're not needed anymore. Xaphan and Cas who are still curious as to how the younglings actually rescued the angel stay and listen to their story.

Vernael and Lilliael's Heaven

About an hour after Michael told them to go.

"Vern I am not just gonna sit here while Steff is possibly eaten by werewolves because of us." Lilliael shouts at Vernael.

"Lilly I don't like this anymore than you, but we don't even have all our powers yet. Plus how do we get her out of there… we couldn't even fly with Dean and Sam." Vernael points out.

"But don't you remember what Steff said 'As guardian angels our first job is to protect humanity'." Lilliael points out.

"Lilly she isn't even a human anymore, we call her the 'Angelic Huntress' for Michael's sake. When she said that she was talking about getting her brothers to safety." Vernael remarks.

"No Vernael, if we don't get her out of there the Winchesters will lose their sister. Then what kind of guardian angels would we be, and Lucifer might sink back into the dark days where he almost destroyed humanity." Lilliael argues.

"Even if you're right we're still in training. Neither of us have the skills available to infiltrate a werewolf base." Vernael reiterates.

"I think you forget the few skills we have. We are both well trained in hand to hand combat, we can fly pretty well, and since today we can transform." Lilliael says while trying to sell it to Vernael. Vernael sits there knowing Lilliael is right, real guardian angels would make every attempt to save their charge or in this case their mentor. Plus those two still had some of Steff's grace in their system, so that helped give them some courage too.

"Alright, lets go." Vernael says eyes flaring with determination.

"Do you remember what Steff told us about how to track angels?" Lilliael asks.

"Yeah." Vernael says and does the ritual needed, "Found her time to angel up, or shut up." Lilliael smiles and the two fly to the base quickly.

Where the werewolves are holding Steff

"I'll never tell you anything you stupid mutt!" Steff shouts at the alpha werewolf. Who is currently trying to torture information out of her, by cutting into her back and wings with an angel blade

"Kitten this would be so much more pleasant for you if you just give us the information we want." The Alpha says in a sickly sweet tone.

"When I get out of here. I'm gonna reserve a special place in Hell for you, you bastard." Steff vows while she tries to summon enough energy to move.

"Now don't be like that Kitten. Once you give me the information Pet, we'll heal your cuts and keep you in a very comfortable cage till He comes back for you." The beast tries again almost trying to sound like he isn't enjoying mutilating her back. Steff just spits in his face and cries out when he slashes her back again.

"If you think this is gonna break me, then you are sadly mistaken." Steff says smart mouthy.

"My, my you are a feisty Kitten aren't you? Give her the serum." The Alpha commands. Another man come in with a syringe in hand and injects it into Steff's arm.

"What is that?" Steff asks woozily as the room begins to spin.

"Just something to help you relax. Now tell me where Azazel is at." He asks again.

"Neverrr you mangy pooch." Steff slurs out as she feels another lash on her back, though thanks to the medicine it was a little less painful.

"Very well I guess will try again later Pet." He says as he leaves the room.

"Well this is a sticky situation." Steff sighs out in pain, but stops when she notices a flash of blue fur at the window of the room. Not wanting to risk drawing attention she reaches out with her mind, 'Vernael is that you?' Steff asks hesitantly.

'Yeah Lilly and I have come here to save you.' Vernael says as he opens the window as him and his sister slip in quietly.

'Steff the others were just arguing; so we thought we could save you.' Lilliael says as the pair begins to use their grace to break through the straps.

'Guys you shouldn't be here. You need to leave before they capture you too.' Steff says weakly, the drugs have almost drained her of her grace completely. The pair finishes with the straps, and is about to grab Steff to fly off when a guard walks in.

"Sir she's escaping!" the guard yells and more guards flood into the room. Steff ushers the teens behind her, and into a corner while she draws her blade. The wolves rush her and she slits all three of their throats, drenching Steff in their blood. More of the wolves flood in and Steff fights furiously to protect the teens, and right as she kills the last one the leader shows his face.

"Now who are these little fighters Pet?" The Alpha asks as he approaches slowly.

"None of your god damn business dog. Now come taste my blade." Steff growls at him viciously, knowing that is in this state the Alpha is probably going to kill her. But if she's going down the Alpha is going with her.

"That's no way to talk to an Alpha, and you know that Steff. Now be good little Pets and come here." The Alpha says as he reaches for the pair, but before he can touch them Steff slices her blade on his arm, "You little bitch! You're gonna pay for that!"

"Oh really, I may be little but I pack a surprising punch don't you think." Steff taunts with a weak smirk as she begins to advance on the Alpha. Who is snarling at her as she draws him away from the angelic teens.

"Haha you think your funny don't you. Well let's see how much you're laughing when I rip the wings out of those two." The Alpha says sadistically as he meets Steff's challenge.

"Guys go! I'll hold him off." Steff shouts as she dodges a punch to the stomach.

"No we can help you Steff." Vernael shouts and begins to summon his grace.

'Lilliael take your brother and wait for me outside by the tree line.' Steff commands Lilly mentally. Lilly grabs her brother, and they wait out by the trees hoping Steff emerges from the building.

"Awww didn't want the little ones to witness your death?" Alpha taunts.

"No, I didn't want them to be scarred for life by your ugly mug." Steff replies with a cut to the Alpha's body.

"I see, well its a shame those two have to die. They have such beautiful wings and I'm sure Azazel would have loved corrupting their souls." Alpha says as he lands a blow that knocks Steff onto her cut up back. She gasps out in pain, but kicks him in the junk when he tries to walk over her.

"Good try, but no dice." Steff says while scrambling to get up quickly, the Alpha laughs and manages to knock Steff down a second time. He crawls on top of her struggling body and forces the blade out of her hand.

"Now when I have restrained you again. I'm going to force that fiery, little mouth of yours open and shove my cock down your gorgeous throat. When I'm done with you, you're gonna beg me to do it again." The Alpha says as he injects her with the serum again.

"I don't beg for anyone, not even Lucifer!" She yells in anger, as she grabs her dropped blade and plunges it deep into the Alpha's chest. The Alpha falls back and lies on the ground sputtering in his own blood.

"Well even if I die there is a sniper about to take the two out in the forest." The Alpha says with his last breath as his body goes limp. Hearing the gunshots Steff rushes out not bothering to make sure the Alpha is dead, and she uses the little power left to jump in front of the teens taking both of the bullets.

"Steff nooo!" Vernael shouts in anguish as he uses his grace to obliterate the gunner, and Lilly runs over to fallen archangel covered in blood.

"Steff what… how do I help you?" Lilly says as she manages heal the gunshot wounds mostly.

"Bobby…Sioux Falls… South Dakota…Sorry I …" Steff trails off from blood loss, physical wounds, and the drugs over powering her system.

"Vern quick, we must take her there!" Lilliael says panic rising in her voice. So Lilliael and Vernael take Steff to the place they think is Bobby's.

A few days after the incident

When Steff awoke she was greeted by the smell of car oil. Blinking her eyes to shake the sleep out, she notices that she is sleeping in the panic room.

"How did I get here?" She says out loud not able to recall anything after she collapsed from the gunshots. Steff tries to move her hunter instincts kicking in, she notices that her body is wrapped in gauze… probably the back wounds she remembers. When she tries to stand she stumbles a little, and notices how her ankle throbs like its sprung. The girl looks around the room, and notices a pair of crutches by her bed. She begins to make her way up the basement stairs, and is greeted by Lilly and Vern wrapping their arms around her.

"Whoa there guys still injured." Steff says in pain and the teens unwrap themselves from Steff slowly.

"Its good to see you among the living." Michael says with a smile. Steff remembers the fight they had been having and begins to back away from him, while she grabs the angelic teens and inspects them for any injuries.

"What are you doing Sweetheart?" Lucifer asks as he watches Steff frantically check the teens.

"They're fine, I thought Michael might have maimed them." Steff says with a sigh of relief.

"Why would Michael maim us?" Vernael asks in confusion.

"Yeah Steff after he knocked you out, him and Lucifer started to argue, but Michael never hurt us. Now I think you should really lie down, your grace still hasn't healed fully yet." Lilliael says while helping Steff over to the couch.

"Are you guys alright I tried so hard to protect you, but I blacked out… you guys weren't hurt were you?" Steff asks while sitting down on the couch.

"No you saved us from the Alpha, his pack, and also two gunshots. Which is why we were surprised that you still had the energy to protect us from Michael." Vernael says.

"Yes Steff it was quite impressive." Xaphan says as he turns to Steff from the other side of the couch.

"Thanks Xaphan, but what I would really like to know is why I was saved by my students instead of my mate and my friends. Seriously you guys, you were all just arguing while these two angeled up to save me." Steff shouts at them when she stops. She is breathing a little hard from the exertion.

"Steff we apologize, but we needed to figure out a plan before we stormed the front doors." Michael says while trying to calm Steff.

"You know what Michael… Fuck you and your stupid plan had these two not shown up I would be drugged up, and raped by that stupid Alpha. So you know what just go back to Heaven take Lilly and Vern with you, and if you need my help again don't bother calling." Steff finishes angrily and goes to get up, but Michael pushes her down.

"I am your superior Steff, you don't get to talk to me like that." Michael says forcefully while standing over Steff.

"Actually you asshat I belong to Hell remember. You didn't create me, so I'm not one of your angels you can boss around!" Steff shouts angrily and pushes away from them all grabbing her crutches and limping out. Vernael and Lilliael just stare after her as she walks outside of the house and begins to try to fly away, but her wings are still healing. So she doesn't get more than a foot off the ground. After falling to the ground in tears Steff just lies in the dirt staring up at the sky. Thinking about how close she had been to death or worse just a few days ago.

"Steff are you alright?" Vernael asks softly as he goes over to the injured angel.

"Yeah Vern, I'm fine just in pain." Steff mutters while still lying on the ground.

"Really, cause when I think of the Angelic Huntress this is definitely not the picture I get." Vernael comments as he lies down next to her and they stare up at the setting sun.

"When I think of her I don't get this picture either." Steff agrees with him.

"Although, I think you are the only archangel to ever call Michael an asshat." Vernael chuckles.

"Probably, but that guy really needs to take the stick out of his ass." Steff says while chuckling along with Vernael.

"Sweetheart can I ask why you are wallowing in the dirt with Vernael?" Lucifer says with a smirk while raising his eyebrows as he walks over to them.

"No Lucifer you may not, and tell that dick of a brother he can go straight to H…." Steff starts, but is cut off by Lucifer.

"Don't finish that sentence Sweetheart or I might lock you in a pit later. That dick is still my brother, and I understand why you are angry but being mad at him isn't gonna fix it." Lucifer warns as he offers a hand to Steff, but she just glares at him.

"Hmm, well I guess but I'm still pissed." Steff says with a grunt while she uses the crutches to pull herself off the ground and heads to the barn to sleep.

"Where are you going?" Vernael asks while walking after her.

"The barn. Shouldn't you go back to Heaven?" Steff says while she shuts the barn door behind her.

"Yes, but I just wanted to make sure you were fine first." Vernael says as he follows her in.

"Thank you for saving me Vernael and thank Lilliael for me too." Steff says with a smile, but notices the teen is still hesitant to leave.

"Okay well feel better." Vernael says with a smile and begins to walk away.

"Vernael come back here for a minute." Steff says and limps over to the teen then kisses his forehead gently, while touching her wings to his for a bond. The bond bands form on each of the angel's wrists. Vernael's has a thin band on his wrist that is the deep black laced with indigo. Steff's band also thin forms on her wrist behind Michaels and it is a deep chocolate brown with dark blue streaks through it. When the bonds finish forming Vernael has the largest smile on his face.

"Steff thank you, this is such an honor. I can't wait to get back to Heaven and tell them all about this." Vernael gushes out, with a huge smile.

"Yeah and it is an honor to bond with you too Vernael. Now get your sister and go back." Steff says as she ushers the young angel back to his sister. When he enters the house Steff turns back, and goes to fall onto the bed of blankets in a stall. But right as she is about to lie down a sharp pain blares through her back, she is about to shout when the pain is suddenly, washed away with a cool touch. Then Steff feels the familiar pull of her grace on the wounds cleaning and closing them. When the grace is done the only evidence that she was ever injured are the thin pink scars all over her back. Steff sighs in relief when she flaps her wings and realizes she can fly again, also that her ankle is fine. Realizing that the worst is over she finally allows herself to sleep in the barn. She notices that Lucifer had slipped in beside her, Steff feeling his warm body curls into him as his wings cover the both of them.


	18. Proposals made by Friends, and the Hearts of Monsters

Dream

The dream starts off as Steff sitting in the middle of a meadow surrounded by purple and white lilies. Steff was just enjoying watching the sunset over the ocean when another angel flies down and sits next to her.

"This is a lovely dream." Samael says to her while resting his wings against Steffs.

"Samael should you really be here and of all things putting your wings on mine?" Steff questions as she shakes his wings off her.

"Probably not, but when has doing the wrong thing ever stopped me." Samael says with a rebellious look and a smirk.

"Well it's your death… Wait if you're the angel of death, can you even be killed?" Steff asks meeting his rebellious look with a curious one. Samael sits there and puts his wings back on hers, and Steff who isn't really in the mood for fighting just accepts them.

"Hmm… someone is all out of fight tonight isn't she." Samael says with a smirk.

"Samael don't test me… I might just call Lucifer, and he is right next to me so he could already listening…" Steff trails off.

"I see your point so let me get straight to mine. Since you are still an angel with no real affiliation I came to offer you a position." Samael says nonchalantly.

"A position with who?" Steff says while looking at him inquisitively.

"A position with me." Samael says softly.

"With you…are you serious?" Steff says voice laced with disbelief and curiosity.

"Yes Steff I am it gets lonely being the only angel with an affinity for death, and with the way you kill things I figured we could at least test to see if you can or not." Samael says hoping the girl will agree.

"Samael what are you doing here?" Lucifer asks after suddenly appearing in the dream.

"Lucifer please understand…" Samael begins, but Lucifer cuts him off.

"Samael I told you no and why do you have your wings on hers?" Lucifer shouts, while changing the dreamscape into a dark cloudy night.

"Lucifer the angel is just lonely." Steff says trying to reason with him as she looks to her mate in an attempt to calm him.

"No Steff, its my fault I should have never asked you my apologies." Samael says as he disappears.

"Lucifer why did you do that?" Steff asks angrily.

"Steff I don't want you to be associated with him and his affinity." Lucifer says softly to her while gently resting his wings on hers and pulling her into his embrace.

"But Luci, he is so alone." Steff says softly into Lucifer's chest, while he rests his chin on top of her head.

"Sweetheart I can't let you do that. You don't understand what his job entails, he over sees everyone's and every things death." Lucifer explains.

"Then I can see no better reason to help him, that must be a huge job." Steff says as she rests her head on his chest still.

"No Steff his soul is so far twisted that death does not bother him anymore, and what would happen if you had to kill your family. Those men will have to die sometime, and I'm pretty sure you don't want to be the one to do it when it needs to be done. So no I will not allow you to do that to yourself it will only cause you misery for our eternity together. Plus as an angel of death you are not allowed into Heaven, but as the way you are now you can go to Heaven and see your brothers, and Bobby when they pass over." Lucifer admits sadly thinking of how devastated his little angel would be when her brothers die.

"Lucifer can you not help him at all… is there nothing you can do." Steff pleads with him quietly and looking to him sadly.

"I am sorry but this was his choice he was told what would happen and how lonely it would be for him. He knew the risks of being an angel of death." Lucifer regards sadly.

"Very well." Steff relents and just cuddles into her mate deeper thankful that he chose her despite the rough patches they have had.

End Dream.

Samael's Little Place in Hell

Samael was sitting in his very favorite section of Hell. This part of Hell was just one huge forest made entirely of flames. Samael didn't know why he took such a particular liking to this section he just knew that he did.

"You know your wings are gonna get burned if you sit to close to the fire." Steff warns as she pops in. Samael pretends not to notice her arrival and goes back to watching the flames, "Samael about the position you offered me."

"What position? Lucifer made it very clear that you were not allowed." Samael says bitterly.

"Samael, when has Lucifer ever stopped me from doing something that I wanted to do." Steff says sarcastically. Samael shifts his wings out and Steff notices the blood on them and Samael notices her stare.

"If you're wondering how that happened I suggest you ask Lucifer. Our fearless leader, whose only weakness is you." Samael says dryly. Steff noticing his pain walks over to his back, then begins to rub her hands through them grooming the out of place feathers and working the blood out too.

"Don't be a jerk." Steff jokes quietly while she continues grooming the feathers.

"So what are you really doing here? Don't tell me it was to come see if I was all right." Samael states, while feeling his tense wings relax at her gentle touches.

"I'm here to say that I'm sorry, but I cannot accept your invitation." Steff says while she fixes the last feather and steps away.

"Why not? If you're not controlled by Lucifer then why?" Samael asks, unable to think of another reason to deny him other than her mates disdain for the position.

"Dean, Sam, and Bobby when they die I wouldn't be able to see them if I was affiliated as an angel of death." Steff remarks wistfully. Samael noticing her change in demeanor walks over and puts a hand soothingly on her wings.

"I understand Steff, but if you ever want to reconsider my offer will always stand." Samael relents as he leans over and hugs her gently. Steff smiles and returns the hug. Samael releases her after a minute or two, and walks over to one of the flames.

"What are you doing?" Steff asks hoping he isn't going to hurt himself.

"It's not what you think. Just watch." Samael says as he turns the blazing fire into the shape of a lily and he gives it to Steff. As Steff goes to touch the flower it then turns into a fiery lioness, flicking her tail in boredom. Then the lioness turns into an exact replica of Steff complete with the customary glare that turns into a small smile eventually as she begins to fade away.

"Samael how did you do that?" Steff asks excitedly.

"Lucifer never showed you how to play with fire… Hmm I would have thought that he would have at least tried." Samael says smugly.

"Yeah well let's just say Luci was busy that week, and I'm honestly waiting for him to show up to drag me away from you." Steff says in slight shock that Lucifer hasn't shown up.

"Well it is odd, but come here so I can show you how this is done." Samael says while gesturing to her. Steff and Samael are in that Hell for about a day on Earth and in that time he teaches her how to manipulate fire into animated pictures. Also how to use it offensively although Steff already knew how, but she didn't know how or why she could do it; eventually Lucifer does show up only to see Steff in the middle of a ring of hellfire.

"Sweetheart hold on! I'm coming!" Lucifer shouts as he flies over in panic and puts the fire out.

"Luci what did you do that for? I almost had it." Steff says with disappointment, her masterpiece was almost complete.

"Steff what were you doing?" Lucifer says after realizing Samael had been there watching quietly.

"Samael was showing me how to play with fire, watch." Steff says as she creates her and Lucifer in their cat forms snuggling, but it only lasts a few seconds.

"That was very good Steff, easily the best one you did all day." Samael praises and Lucifer eyes him warily, noticing his wings are healed.

"Luci, why did you hurt Samael again?" Steff says as she creates a tiny Impala with Dean driving it in fire.

"Steff why did you heal him?" Lucifer asks sharply.

"Don't answer my question with a question Morning Star, you know how that pisses me off." Steff replies while making a tiny Lucifer who is looking up at her apologetically.

"He upset me by entering your dreams while I was right next to you. Then he tried to get you to be like him without telling you of the consequences." Lucifer explains in an even tone.

"He is right I would have not told you about not going to Heaven till after you had accepted. I'm sorry but this is a very lonely task, though now I see that I could have just asked you to come with me and you probably would have. So I am sorry for the deception." Samael admits sadly while making a lily again. Steff looks at him angrily at first, but it soon softens into a smile.

"I really don't appreciate that Samael, but I understand why. So if you ever feel lonely again and I'm not busy we could hang out, smite some evil things, or just do this again." Steff says with a smile and walks toward Lucifer. When he wraps a wing around her, she grabs it and cuts it deep.

"Ow Steff! Why would you do that?" Lucifer yells as he pulls his wings away to inspect the cut she made.

"Don't be a baby Luci, its just payback for earlier. Now come here I'll fix it." Steff says soothingly. When Lucifer comes over she walks behind him and begins to lick at the blood forming on the cut, while she soothes the ruffled feathers.

"Oooo…. Sweetheart." Lucifer moans out feeling her healing the cut while rubbing his wings sensually.

"Hmm…Lucifer your blood tastes just like I would imagine." Steff whispers in his ear making his grace burn hot.

"Well come with me and let me taste yours, so we can compare." Lucifer whispers right back and Steff giggles while gently mouthing on his feathers near the base of his wing, which brings Lucifer to his knees gasping.

"No thanks, I'm gonna go visit the boys. See you later." Steff teases while wiping her mouth off and leaving Lucifer on his knees. Then flying off to visit Sam and Dean who were at Bobby's looking for lore.

"You tease!" Lucifer shouts playfully after her, already having a certain have revenge in mind.

Bobby's House

"Damn idjit! You're gonna give me a heart attack!" Bobby shouts at a smiling Steff who just suddenly appears next to them. Dean and Sam who are used to it just shrug, and go back to looking at the maps.

"So what are you guys searching for?" Steff asks curiously.

"A Lamia in the next town over." Sam answers casually.

"Okay… It's taken care of. So how have you guys been?" Steff says after disappearing to kill the Lamia and coming back.

"Wow I feel so obsolete, out done by my younger sister. Yup my fragile ego has been shattered." Dean states with a sigh.

"Dean your ego could use lowering a few notches anyway. Thanks Steff, but where's Lucifer he is usually right behind you." Sam says while looking around the room for the older angel.

"Well he's busy… So what you guys wanna do?" Steff asks the group of drinking men.

"Steff not that I don't love when you visit us, but what are you running…" Dean trails off when he, Sam, and Bobby are all turned into animals. Dean is his normal seal lynx point cat form. Sam is turned back into a brown Labrador retriever puppy. Bobby was turned into a gray tabby tiger cat that has a very angry glare on his face. Steff doesn't even bother to ask. She just uses her powers to make it so they can speak English.

"You idjit! Why the hell am I cat?" Bobby yowls angrily at Steff.

"Bobby calm down. You'll give yourself a brain aneurysm." Steff says soothingly while she picks him up then walks over to the couch, sits down, and starts to stroke him gently.

"Steff turn me back right now!" Bobby demands while pushing away from Steff. She just holds him still and scratches behind his ear.

"Bobby this wasn't my doing." Steff points out while Bobby begins to purr softly in her lap.

"Steff, Dean smells weird." Sam states while walking over to Dean and starts licking him.

"Dude knock it off!" Dean hisses and flees to where Bobby and Steff are sitting.

"Dean just indulge Sammy he'll stop in a minute." Steff says while lifting Bobby off her lap and walking over to Sam. She picks him up and sits back on the couch with her other family while she pets Sam.

"Steff you should turn into a lioness, and show Bobby he hasn't seen it yet." Sam suggests while licking Steff's face.

"Sam stop it." Steff says while pushing him off playfully as she turns into a lioness.

"No Steff, now come over here." Sam says determined to make her smell like him again while Dean and Bobby just stare in shock at Steff's form.

"Gotta catch me first." Steff teases playfully while running outside and they all follow her out.

"Aha I got you." Sam says as he jumps onto Steff's back when she turns into her house cat form and pins her down while he starts to lick her fur.

"Sam get off her you big moose." Dean says as he walks over and nudges Sam off of Steff.

"So are you gonna tell me how we get un-animaled." Bobby says agitatedly.

"Well considering I have no clue how this happened. It might take a few days, a few weeks, or a few months." She squeaks out quietly looking anywhere but at Bobby.

"Balls!" Bobby shouts angrily at Steff. She looks down, ashamedly into the ground.

"Hey Bobby this might not be her fault." Sam points out while licking her ears in a soothing gesture.

"Sam considering how she showed up all of a sudden. I think that it's reasonable to say that it's her fault." Dean points out.

"Oh yeah it is definitely her fault." Lucifer says while showing up, and poofing them all back into the living room.

"Alright that's it, I'm angel proofing the house." Bobby confesses angrily.

"Sorry about that Bobby I meant to hit just Steff, but it seems to have back fired. I will turn you all back, my apologies." Lucifer says and with a snap of his fingers Sam, Dean, and Bobby turn back into people. Steff however notices she cannot.

"Lucifer you didn't…. did you?" Steff asks while suddenly turning into a kitten, and not being able to turn back.

"That's what happens when you tease, Steff." Lucifer teases, while he picks her up in his hand and puts her on the couch.

"Luci don't leave me here like this, I'm so friggin' tiny anything could hurt me." Steff whimpers at him with big, tearful kitten eyes.

"That's not gonna work, and besides I told Cas what was happening he said he'll watch you. Now I have to leave so you be a good little kitten, and stay out of trouble." Lucifer says quickly and doesn't notice how Steff stiffens slightly at the word. Steff pushing against her kitten form, trying to force the transformation but only succeeds in tiring herself out.

'You know Kitten you should probably just stop. You are getting yourself nowhere.' A voice whispers in the back of her mind.

"What did you say to me?" Steff says aloud and receiving strange looks from all realizes that the voice is in her head.

"Uhh Steff we didn't say anything." Dean says while giving her a wary look.

"Oh… well… uhh my bad if you guys need me I'll be upstairs in Dean's bed." Steff says as she plods up the stairs, and rustles the sheets to make a small pile near the pillow to make it look like she was asleep. Though Steff actually decides its time to go investigate the voice, especially since angels don't hear voices… except Cas she could sometimes hear a few of Cas' thoughts. So Steff hops out the window she had nudged open and closes it behind her, she had no intention of coming back this way at least. Once she manages to get off the roof using the gutters she heads toward the forest feeling something pulling her towards it. Now she knows this is a very bad idea, but something tells her she needs to go. So she follows it about a mile and a half into the forest noticing how unnaturally dark the forest had gotten. When she stopped to listen for danger the only thing she heard was her own breathing no insects, no rustling leaves, no animals just an eerie silence. This is another thing that should be making her turn around, call out for an angel, her brothers, or hell maybe even Lucifer. But Steff does nothing like that she just steels herself for a fight, and continues on her journey that leads her to the center of the forest. When she gets there she feels a familiar cold feeling wash over her and had Lucifer been paying attention to the bond. He would have noticed Steff softly pulling at him, but he was busy with his fallen trying to figure out the quickest way to mutilate a human soul. Someone however does notice Steff's predicament when he had stopped for a visit, since he was making a deal nearby and felt her presence. Crowley notices how she stops in front of a large black dog, Crowley curious as to how this is gonna play out watches from the dark. Steff approaches the large black dog realizing that its not a dog, but rather a black werewolf… one that is all to familiar to Steff the one that looks a lot like Alpha.

"Kitten its good to see you again." Alpha says with a sinister looking smile.

"No it can't be… I … I killed you." Steff mumbles trying to remember if he had turned to ashes or not.

"Kitten you didn't kill me I'm an Alpha remember you have to burn me, otherwise I come back a little more wolf then human, but still an Alpha none the less." Alpha explains to her as he approaches her slowly.

"Well no matter I guess I'll have to kill you… again." Steff says as she rushes forward to scratch him with her tiny claws.

"Now you know that is not what I came here to talk about." Alpha says while batting her back easily.

"I really don't wanna talk to you. I'd rather rip out your throat if that's okay with you." Steff says as she surges forward again just to be pinned to the ground.

"Now, now Kitten why don't you listen to my story. It pertains to your dear dead mother and brother so you might be interested," Alpha stops when he notices the kitten has settled down interested in the story he is about to tell, "Now that I have your attention. Our story begins in a small town in Northern Michigan. Where a family of three lives a loving older brother, a protective younger sister, and a careless mother. It was the weekend of the brother's birthday I think his name was…. what was it… ah yes it was Wesley." Steff realizes instantly what he is talking about, and not wanting to hear it begins to struggle again. "Now settle down and hear the ending or I will drug you again," Steff who would rather be alert for the battle that is sure to follow listens to the gruesome tale he is about to tell, "Good little Kitten now where were we…. ah yes Wesley and young Steffanie they were very close those two. Little Steffanie clung to Wesley when he was around, and vowed to herself to protect him from danger no matter what. Now Wes always thought that was backwards, shouldn't he protect his little sister not her protect him… well until he learned from his mother who her real father was. Yes the famous John Winchester, hunter extraordinaire with his two hunter sons the prodigal Dean and college student Sam. Yes young Wes also knew why little Steff was so protective and fantastic with knifes, guns, or hell even a pair of scissors. She had wonderful aim and ran quicker than him even though he had longer legs. It was as if this girl had been bred to hunt."

"Why are you telling me a story I already know? I think you should let me up so I can kill you like the beast you are." Steff spits at him not wanting to know how this story ends because she already knew.

"Oh Kitten so feisty, but first let me finish this story I am almost done. Now where were we…oh yes the weekend of the big camping trip. Wes had been begging his mother for this, and she had tried to tell him that they couldn't go leaving little Steffanie all alone seeing as she had sprung her ankle earlier that week. But Steffanie assured them both she could take care of herself, and after her mother made sure she knew the location of her gun. The two of them went off for their big camping trip, and called Steffanie that night before bed, and in the morning before they went hiking, but not later. Steffanie wasn't worried at first. Figured they were too tired to call, but when they didn't call the next morning. She began to worry, and with all the localized wolf attacks recently Steffanie assumed the worst and called John's number. Which is when it led her to Dean's, and well you know the rest of the story considering it's your own." Alpha says as he lifts his paw up that was pinning Steff to the ground.

"So your point was?" Steff asks in a bored tone as she gets to her feet.

"Well I just wanted to ask if your brothers or father ever found the wolf that did it to your poor mother and brother? Or was there even a funeral for them?" Alpha asks curiously.

"No they never found the bodies or the wolf." Steff says stiffly.

"Don't you think that's odd considering wolves either rip the heart out, or they turn their victims? They don't usually eat them, wouldn't you say." Alpha says with a look that pales Steff instantly, "Wes, Ms. O'Connor care to come to meet your long lost Steffanie."

"Steff is that really you?" Wes asks in disbelief while stepping out of the shadow.

"Steff thank God your alive… oh we were so worried that you had died when we went back for you. We couldn't find any trace of where you went, but we found you now we can be a family again." Her mother says with a smile while she licks her face, as she and Wes are in their wolf forms right now.

"Steff it's so good to see you; how has my little sister been, still fierce as ever I notice." Wes says with an excited smile. Steff who can't help, but smile at knowing her brother and mother had returned as wolves, but they had returned regardless.

"Mom, Wes this is unbelievable… how did you find me?" Steff asks excitement in her voice.

"Well Derrick here changed us then told us that one day we would find you so we could be a family in his pack." Her mother explains and Wes walks over to Steff and when he does she smells blood, and it's not animal much to her disdain. She almost doesn't want to ask because she knows what she will have to do.

"What have you guys been feeding on all these years?" Steff asks as she backs away from them slowly.

"Steff if you're a hunter you know what our kind eats, now come back here so I can give you a hug." Wes answers while walking forward. Steff who doesn't want to believe that this is happening tries to transform back into a person, and she is surprised that she can. Steff doesn't bother to question it as she opens out her wings, and prepares to do this as humanely and quickly as possible. Knowing if she doesn't do it now she will never be able to.

"If you have been feeding on humans then my duty as an archangel and a hunter. I have to kill…" Steff trails off as tears begin to stream down her face in anger and horror knowing now what she must do.

"Steff what are those?" Wes asks turning into a human while walking over to her wings, and touching them while speaking in amazement, "Steff are these real…like you really are an angel. Mom she is an angel can you believe that…my sister is a real live angel, and an archangel at that."

"Yes, but Wes I always knew she was an angel sent from Heaven." Her mother says with a brilliant smile as she too turns into a human.

"Actually mom I'm an angel of Hell. My mate is Lucifer we have been bonded for 12 years now." Steff says solemnly knowing what she must do to them after hearing that they have been feeding on humans. Meanwhile Derrick just smiles evilly this had been his plan all along.

"Lucifer, like the Devil!" Wes exclaims in shock.

"Yeah he is actually nicer then the legends make him out to be." Steff says sadly while walking over to Wes and quietly slipping her blade out. She says the only thing she can think of, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you and I love you Wes remember that always." Steff then stabs Wes with tears running down her face as she hugs him while gently laying him down on the ground.

"I know and I am glad it was you instead of some random hunter… At least I got to see you one last time, I love you too Steff, forever and always." Wes whispers with his last breath as his body goes limp.

"Steff how could you? He was your brother." Her mother asks horrified by Steff's actions.

"No you stupid, bitch the question is how could you… how could you let him be turned into a monster you stupid, stupid bitch. What did he offer you…huh what was worth being a monster?" Steff shouts angrily with tears running down her face as she whirls to her mother blade in hand.

"Steff I am your mother don't talk to me like that. Plus he said we could be a family he said he would be willing to be your guy's father…" Her mom trails off as she backs away from her daughter.

"Yeah well now I have to kill you too. So I hope your happy cause this is what happens when you trust monsters." Steff shouts enraged as she lunges forward and plunges the blade deep in her mother's chest watching her crumple to the ground.

"Steff I just wanted us to be a family." Her mother sputters as the light dies from her eyes and her body goes limp next to Wes'.

"Tis a tragedy, killing one's family. I was kind of hoping you would have joined us. I would have loved to be your father." Derrick says looking down at the dead mother and brother with a sigh.

"Yeah I already have a father and name is John Winchester. So seems you're a little late, now come here so I can kill you for real this time." Steff says wrathfully ready to smite this bastard for all of the trouble he had caused her.

"Well I really didn't want to do this, but have it your way." Derrick says while lunging at her with claws extended. Steff however is too quick for him, and sidesteps him then rips his head from his body. She watches as the body falls to the ground limply. Steff knowing what she still has to do builds a pyre with the three bodies in it, sets it a fire then turns the fire into pictures of her and Wes playing outside. The grace and adrenaline having finally stopped surging through Steff's veins, now that the danger was over. Steff sinks to her knees on the dew dampened forest floor still covered in her mothers and brothers' blood. She screams out in anguish, as the realization of what she just did finally sinks in; and she begins to cry. She cries for her fallen brother, she cries for her delusional mother, and mostly she cries for the fact that she had to kill both of them. Steff doesn't even notice when Crowley who had been the one to release her powers, and the boys come drawn by her wailing and the fire.

"Steff what… What happened?" Dean sinks down to her eyelevel and looks at his distraught sister kneeling on the ground covered in blood and tears.

"…." Steff's mouth can't seem to form words so she just crawls into Dean's lap, and cries into his shoulder.

"Love would you like me to tell them or do you want to do it?" Crowley asks gently seeing his distraught friend.

"Crowley was it you who released my powers?" Steff whispers quietly realizing Lucifer probably doesn't even know the danger she was in.

"Yes Love, it was I. So do you want me to fill them in?" Crowley questions softly.

"I can't do it Crowley…. I just can't." Steff stutters into Dean's shoulder.

"Tell us what?" Sam chimes in and Bobby just gives a questioning glance to the fire and the blood. Crowley tells them the story and when he gets to the ending Steff can feel Dean tighten his grip on her shaking frame. No one says anything for a while until they see the embers transform into a picture of Steff and Wes chasing each other. The men just stand there enchanted by the embers forming scenes of the girl and boy playing tag, shooting bows and arrows, and lastly the replay of when Steff stabbed him.

"Steff are you alright I lost you?" Cas says breathlessly as he suddenly shows up.

"No Cas she is not alright, Crowley can you fill him in and tell Lucifer when you go back." Sam says angrily at the clueless guardian angel.

"No don't tell them… They don't need to know Cas'll just blame himself, and Lucifer will just pity me. Please just let it die with them, I will ward away Lucifer for a few days." Steff begs desperately realizing that she wouldn't be able to handle Lucifer's pity.

"Love we have to tell them, imagine how he will feel if he finds out from another source. I will tell them don't worry about it." Crowley says gently and Dean with Steff in his arms walks back to the house. Dean tries to lay her on his bed, but she gets up and goes downstairs to get herself a tall glass of whiskey. She drinks it then goes to take a shower, washing the blood, and dirt off of her body like that would erase the pain of what she has just done. Steff finishes the shower and feeling her buzz wear off she goes downstairs for more alcohol only to find Dean guarding it.

"Huntress I'm usually all for getting wasted, but the feelings you feel right now are only gonna get worse." Dean says softly.

"Dean I really don't want to fight about this, I'm tired please just move." Steff pleads with him more than ready to drown her feelings in a bottle or two of whiskey.

"No, here have a glass of water." Dean suggests while handing her the glass that she refuses.

"Dean I just killed my mother, my brother, and an alpha werewolf. Move your ass." Steff commands him. Dean doesn't move instead looks at her sadly, "Dean I don't want your fucking pity just get out of the way."

"Steff I won't let you." Dean says forcing her to look into his eyes.

"Dean please." Steff begs.

"Come on just go to bed." Dean says trying to placate with Steff.

"Fine I'll be in the panic room." Steff relents and walks downstairs only to see Lucifer waiting on the bed for her. Lucifer doesn't notice Steff when she quietly turns around, and walks out to the barn. Steff finally alone again, alcohol wearing off, and the numbness had set in. She discovers that she can't feel anything even when she cuts a deep gash in her wings she feels nothing. Steff continues cutting only to find that she is completely numb to pain.

"Steff stop, you're going to die of blood loss." Castiel says when suddenly appearing in the barn.

"Yeah well its better than this." Steff admits and Cas comes over touches two fingers to her forehead to heal her.

"Sorry, but I can't let you kill yourself. That is my number one duty as a guardian angel. If it helps any at all your brother is very happy in Heaven." Cas says trying to cheer her up a little.

"Wes is in Heaven… Yeah Cas that does help a little, but it doesn't change the fact that I put him there." Steff admits sadly.

"No I suppose it doesn't, but you did what was right and if I heard correctly he forgave you in the end." Cas points out.

"I know, but that doesn't change the fact that I put him there…. Cas is Lucifer still downstairs?" Steff asks tired and not wanting to be alone.

"Yeah why?" Cas answers.

"Tell him I'm in the barn if he cares. I'm gonna go to sleep." Steff says numbly though feeling a little better thanks to Castiel's words. Cas disappears and Steff crashes into the blankets. About a minute later Lucifer shows up to find Steff lying there sniffling quietly.

"Steff you want a hug?" Lucifer asks not wanting to force her to be affectionate right now.

"Yeah I would like that Lucifer." Steff says as she nuzzles her body as close to Lucifer as possible. Lucifer returns the affection, and that's how they spend the rest of the night. Steff cries silently into Lucifer's embrace while he holds his grief-ridden angel petting her wings gently.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there." Lucifer whispers apologetically to Steff as the sun rises.

"I would rather have done it then Sam or Dean." Steff admits drying her eyes on Lucifer's shirt.

"Steff…." Lucifer starts but stops when he notices Steff's glare as she pulls away from him, and stalks out of the barn Lucifer calls out to her, "Steff get back here." Steff says nothing just picks up the pace and runs into the forest. She runs from Lucifer and his pitiful looks, she runs from the grief she feels, and most of all she runs from herself.

'The righteous lady my ass' Steff thinks bitterly at herself while she crashes through the underbrush.

"Steff come back!" Lucifer shouts as he chases after her, but slowly falling behind because if it's one thing Steff's good at it's ditching her mate.

"Leave me alone Lucifer, I want to be alone!" Steff shouts as she pours on the speed leaving Lucifer behind.

"Steff stop!" Michael commands appearing in Steff's path, and attempting to grab her.

"No, now leave me alone!" Steff says as she jumps out of Michael's reach and keeps running until she reaches the end of the forest. Feeling Michael and Lucifer hot on her heels. She runs into the open meadow only to be tackled by Castiel who had been waiting.

"Steff stop struggling, or I'll put you in that heaven again." Cas says warningly while holding the girl over his shoulder.

"Cas let me go I just wanna run, let me run, please let me run." Steff pleads with him as she tries to kick out of his grip.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that, seeing as how the last time I let you run. You and Dean got kidnapped, so I can't allow it this time." Cas says while calming the frantic girl. Steff realizing Cas isn't going to drop her she bites him, "Ow Steff stop it!"

"Nnn." Steff growls while biting harder causing blood to form in her mouth.

"Steff stop or I will make you stop, and I can assure you won't like that." Cas warns.

"Fine, your blood tastes gross man." Steff remarks angrily while spitting the blood out of her mouth, and onto the ground. Lucifer and Michael who have finally caught up notice the scene before them, and give Cas a thankful look for catching her.

"I refuse to let you run anymore. Seriously Steff you run faster than your brother when he sees a cheeseburger." Lucifer says while trying to catch his breath.

"Yeah well if you ran with me you wouldn't have this problem." Steff says sarcastically preparing to sprint again.

"Don't you dare." Lucifer growls angrily while grabbing Steff's arm.

"Me run off, Lucifer I'm surprised at you." Steff says feigning shock trying to bury all of her despair deep down into her heart.

"Yeah we all know you're the perfect little angel now aren't you." Lucifer replies voice heavy with sarcasm, "Now come on lets go back before the boys worry."

"Something tells me they are already worried considering the events of yesterday." Steff says in defeat while kicking the dirt.

"So let's not worry them anymore. Come back with me, and spare Bobby's heart." Lucifer purposes. Steff smiles slightly at his last comment.

"Fine, but you go back to Hell, and I'll go to where I am supposed to be." Steff says while beginning to walk back, but at the last moment she slips out of Lucifer's grasp and flies away.

"Oh no you don't." Lucifer says while using his grace to stop Steff, "Did you really think it would be that easy? Now come on, I actually have to get back to Hell, Bernael is currently trying to kill Xaphan apparently he insulted Balthazar."

"Humph." Steff says as Lucifer drags Steff back to the house and handcuffs her to Dean's bed; once in place the cuff disappears.

"Now I'm gonna leave Bobby with a key just in case. The chain will allow you to move in the house, and the yard for about a mile." Lucifer explains quietly to a pouting Steff who is sitting on the floor, "Sweetheart don't look at me like that you know if I didn't do this we would never find you again, or something would capture you."

"Whatever Morning Star. Just leave the key and go." Steff whispers bitterly.

"I love you Steff forever and always remember that." Lucifer says while he kisses her forehead.

"Wes said that…before I… killed him." Steff says quietly tears reforming in her eyes at verbalizing the act out loud.

"Well great minds do think alike." Lucifer says with a small comforting smile and disappears. Steff sits at the foot of Dean's bed for a while tears still falling down her face.

"Steff this bed is big enough for the both of us." Dean comments while looking down at his crying sister.

"Yeah I know, but the floor is pretty comfortable. So I'll just chill here." Steff says trying to keep her voice even.

"Alright, but if the floor gets uncomfortable the offer stands." Dean replies and lies back down. Steff nods and curls her knees up to her chest. When she finally silently cries herself to sleep, Dean picks her up and lays her next to him on the bed while humming 'smoke on the water' soothingly.

"Dad…" Steff says quietly in her sleep while curling towards the man. Dean gives a small smile while he starts to pet Steff's wings soothingly still humming until he falls asleep too.

Next Day

(9:28 am)

"So you think she'll be okay Sam?" Bobby asks while taking a drink of his coffee.

"Bobby I have no idea…. Could you have killed Dean and I if we were monsters?" Sam asks him. Bobby looks down into his coffee thinking about if it really came down to it.

"No…Sam I couldn't have killed you boys or her. You realize the strength it takes to kill family like that especially her brother. She didn't really seem to mind too much when she killed her mother, but Sam did you see the embers in that fire. The pictures she created I'd bet you my soul that those were memories of those two." Bobby says while still looking at his coffee.

"Yes that was when Wes was trying to out shoot me at archery camp." Steff recalls while walking into the living room where Sam and Bobby are.

"You went to archery camp?" Dean asks following her down the stairs.

"Yeah when we were little I had a natural affinity for weaponry, no matter what it was and Wes was determined to beat me at it… I would let him beat me sometimes." Steff remembers how happy Wes had been when he had beaten her, "I'm gonna go outside see you guys later."

"Hey don't go to far Steff." Bobby shouts after the girl.

"Bobby you do know she is trapped here right." Dean says while putting his feet up on the coffee table.

"Yeah I know, but it's a reflex with her." Bobby says as he knocks Dean's feet off the table.

"You know she called me dad last night." Dean remarks his voice tinged with a little pride.

"I thought I heard that too." Sam comments quietly.

"Well aren't you kinda like her father you, idjit." Bobby points out.

"It makes sense you were the one who took the most fathering figure when we raised her. I was usually the brother…wait now it makes sense…" Sam trails off.

"What makes sense boy?" Bobby asks him with a questioning glance.

"Why she is so protective of us dude. Think about it." Sam says like he just figured out a huge mystery.

"Sam your gonna have to explain this to the class here." Dean says with a not comprehending look on his face.

"Dean think about how she had her first family ripped away from her and when we filled it we filled certain roles. I played Wes and you played…Dad. Think about how she treated me when I was in danger or injured, or how she sacrificed herself for us. She was determined to save us; she didn't want to have another family ripped away from her without a fight. Well your role as father was pretty obvious you're the one who did most of the fathering between you and I." Sam explains.

"Well I'll be damned Sam. You're right someone should alert the papers, bitch." Dean says with a small smile thinking back to the times he mentioned.

"Jerk." Sam says returning the smile.

"Now that you two idjits figured this out what are you gonna do about it?" Bobby asks out of curiosity.

"Nothing we can do with it, it just explains her behavior toward us sometimes." Dean states as he takes swig of his coffee.

"Hey I'm gonna go find her, cause being her she is probably gonna do something reckless." Sam says as he walks out the back door. Sam walks around the yard looking for Steff, but he can't seem to find her. "Steff where are you?" Sam shouts into the junkyard, he listens for a response but hears nothing tries again, "STEFF!"

"Over here Sam." Steff shouts hollowly back, from in the garage.

"Oh there you are." Sam says cheerily while walking over to Steff.

"Sam what do you want?" Steff asks hollowly while she goes back to throwing knives into a wall.

"What are you doing?" Sam asks while looking at the wall he notices that there was a picture of the Alpha werewolf stuck to the wall with dozens of holes in it.

"What does it look like I'm doing Sam?" Steff answers each word punctuated by a knife thrown into the wall.

"Hey pass me one." Sam says and Steff hands him one, "You wanna talk about it?"

"Nope, not really." Steff says as her plunges a knife into the drywall.

"Steff you need to talk about it." Sam persists as he throws a knife missing the target by an inch.

"Sam I just killed my family last night, and to top it all off I accidentally called Dean dad." Steff says sharply while retrieving her knives.

"So you do remember… You know its nothing to be ashamed of. He is the closes thing you ever had to a father, cause we all know Dad wasn't exactly father of the year." Sam says to her, and after hearing this Steff walks out of the garage to get away from Sam but he just follows her, "Steff you can't keep running away from the past it will catch up with you eventually."

"Sam, if it came down to it could you kill Dean, Bobby, or I?" Steff asks suddenly.

"No Steff, I don't think I could, but what's your point?" Sam inquires as he watches Steff twirl a knife around in her hand.

"I just killed my brother and mother in cold blood Sam; just because they were monsters, doesn't that make me monster too." Steff says as she plunges the knife in her hand into her throat in an attempt to end it all.

"STEFF…. Oh God…. LUCIFER!" Sam shouts in panic as he lunges forward to grab his sister and tries to stop the bleeding.

"Sam what …" Lucifer trails off as he notices the blood coming from Steff's neck. Lucifer rushes over and immediately heals the wound.

"Dammit just let me die." Steff cries out and jumps away from the two men.

"Steff no, come back here." Sam orders her and watches as his sister slowly makes her way back over to them hesitantly.

"Sweetheart you are not a monster. Derrick was a monster, your mother was a monster, but you and Wes weren't monsters that's why Wes is in Heaven Sweetheart." Lucifer states as he pulls Steff into his embrace.

"But…" Steff starts but Lucifer stops her with a kiss.

"No butts Steff you are not a monster. Not now, not ever Sweetheart. You shall never ever be considered a monster... I don't care if you blew up the world, well I would care but I wouldn't call you a monster, maybe a tad sadistic but never a monster." Lucifer says with a smile; Steff laughs softly at his explanation.

"Lucifer I wanna go flying can you take the damn chain off." Steff pleads with him.

"Sweetheart I can't let you go by yourself…especially not after this." Lucifer informs her regretfully.

"Fine I'll take Cas with me. Now can you take it off?" Steff begs desperate for freedom.

"Call Cas first, then I will free you Sweetheart." Lucifer says knowing if Cas isn't here before he lets her go she will escape again.

"Cas will you come with me to go flying Lucifer is being a dick, and won't let me go by myself." Steff shouts into the sky.

"After the last stunt I can't really say I blame him Steff, but yes I will accompany you." Cas remarks, appearing next to Sam. With that Lucifer releases the chain and Steff takes off running to the forest. Not really trying to get away from them just putting some distance between them. Once she is out of eyesight she then turns herself into her tiny kitten form and hides in a tree trunk. She watches as Cas flies right past her with Lucifer and Sam hot on his heels. After she is sure they have gone far enough away she jumps out and turns into her cat form then walks back to the junkyard where she lies in the back of the Impala. Steff lies there inhaling the scent of leather and car oil reminding her of home. She can hear them calling her name, but she doesn't answer she just curls up under the back seat and falls into a dreamless slumber.

Like two hours later

"Sam did you find her?" Bobby asks from the kitchen.

"No we followed her tracks back to here, but they just stop at the car yard." Sam explains.

"Leave her be she will come back on her own." Dean says while he is calmly surfing channels.

"Dude we can't just leave her be she tried to kill herself today. For all we know she could have succeeded this time and is now lying dead in a ditch." Sam exclaims he can't understand how Dean is so calm about this.

"No Cas, I, and Michael would know plus I think Vernael would too." Lucifer says while he joins Dean on the couch tired from trying to find his impulsive mate.

"Yes Lucifer and I would know. Although I'm not sure why we can't locate her." Cas says in slight confusion.

"Hey idjits look what I found." Bobby says while holding up a note, "Says she went to Hell to hang with Crowley for awhile."

"Oh well then she is fine, Crowley and her go way back. In fact I will go visit them now." Lucifer says as he disappears back to Hell.

"Sam now that we are done searching for her I found us a case in Nevada about two days drive." Dean says as he gets up and starts walking to the door.

"Dean should we really leave right now I don't think it's a good idea man." Sam says worry in his voice.

"Sammy if Steff wants to be found she will come out from wherever she is hiding, if not then we'll never see her till she's ready. So instead of standing here worrying lets go save some people and kill some monsters." Dean explains while grabbing Sam and heading out to the Impala. Steff awakes to hear Sam and Dean arguing about whether or not they should leave.

"Dean what if the note was lying and she isn't with Crowley?" Sam questions while getting in the passenger's seat, Steff decides to stay hidden since they believe the note so far.

"Then we were tricked Sam, but who cares. She is a grown woman she doesn't need us to baby-sit her anymore." Dean argues while starting the car and pulling out onto the road.

"I still think this is a bad idea, but whatever dude." Sam says angrily as he stares out the window. It's a long silent drive for Sam, Dean, and Steff. When they finally reach the town two nights later they rent a room and unpack the Impala. They still haven't noticed Steff hiding under the back seat. Once the boys get settled into their room Steff decides to just spend the night under the seat. The next morning she reveals herself and they yell at her, but eventually they hug and everything works out so they continue their hunt.

Meanwhile in Hell

"Crowley long time no see." Lucifer greets him in the throne room.

"Lucifer always a pleasure." Crowley says with a smile.

"So how has Steff been?" Lucifer says while looking around for his beloved.

"Steff? Well last time I saw her she was pretty torn up about her brother." Crowley says giving Lucifer a confused look.

"Crowley when was the last time you saw her?" Lucifer asks getting angry.

"The last time I saw her was after the alpha attacked her." Crowley explains to Lucifer.

"Dammit that is the last time I trust her… Seriously I should have just taken her back down with me. I thought she just needed time, I understand that it is difficult to kill your family, but I should have known this was going to happen… every fucking time something awful happens. Whose the first to disappear…Steff she is always the first to run away." Lucifer rants to a confused Crowley.

"I'm assuming she left a note that said she was with me." Crowley says to Lucifer.

"Yup and you know what I'm going up there to get her even if I have to drag her down with me. I am going to lock that girl in my room till I can find some kind of GPS for her." Lucifer vows and is about to angrily fly off when the fallen show up.

"Lucifer is it really wise to force her here." Marchosias asks.

"Yeah I'm with Mar on this." Samael says agreeing with Marchosias

"No if Balthy was this hard to deal with I would do the same thing." Bernael argues.

"I really don't agree with either of you, but given the choice I would probably bring her down here. Only because she did try to kill herself, but I would only keep her here until she wasn't a threat to herself." Xaphan suggests and Lucifer who had been listening to his companions has made a decision.

"Xaphan come with me. Its time we fetch Steff." Lucifer says as him and Xaphan fly up to Earth trying to track her down.


	19. I'm not usually violent, but this helps me think

A week later

When Xaphan and Lucifer find Steff they find her knee deep in dead bodies. The Winchesters had been hunting a very large nest of vampires in Nevada still.

"Steff you alright over there?" Dean questions as he pulls a body off of Sam.

"Yeah you guys alright over there?" Steff replies while walking over to them and healing Sam and Dean of their minor injuries.

"Thanks kid." Dean and Sam say with a smile.

"Yeah no problem now you guys go outside I'll burn these bodies." Steff says to her brothers as they walk outside the building, only to find an agitated Lucifer and an expressionless Xaphan.

"We are here to get Steff." Lucifer says impatiently.

"What do you mean?" Dean asks big brother instincts kicking in.

"Steff has become difficult lately, and I want to make sure she is going to be safe. So Xaphan and I are going to take Steff back to Hell with us for a while." Lucifer explains to Dean and Sam.

"Well if she wants to go then I'm alright with that." Sam says as he looks to Dean who also agrees reluctantly.

"Wow that part was easy, now to get Steff." Lucifer says and just then Steff walks out of the warehouse to see Lucifer and Xaphan.

"Xaphan, Lucifer what are you guys doing here?" Steff questions as she freezes in front of Dean and Sam just in case of attack.

"You, my mate have lied to me for the last time. You're coming with me to Hell, and are going to stay there until I can be sure you won't lie to me again." Lucifer says angrily as he grabs Steff's upper arm and begins to drag her.

"Lucifer let go, you're hurting me." Steff whimpers as she tries to struggle out of his grip. This reminding her a lot like the times she had run from him in Hell.

"Let go of her!" Dean shouts as he tries to help Steff.

"Xaphan do me a favor and restrain her." Lucifer says as he hands a kicking and struggling Steff to Xaphan.

"Steff please stop struggling we aren't going to hurt you." Xaphan tries to reason with the frightened angel.

"Let me go Xaphan." Steff says as she tries to struggle out of his grip.

"Sweetheart this is for your own good, now come on be good for Xaphan." Lucifer pleads with her.

"Dammit Lucifer let her go right now!" Sam angrily shouts while trying to get past Lucifer.

"Dean, Sam I will bring her back when I feel that she is going to stop lying to me." Lucifer says trying to calm them down.

"Lucifer look at her! She is terrified of you, you had better let her go before you do something drastic that you're gonna regret." Dean pleads with him while gesturing to Steff. Lucifer turns around to look at his mate in Xaphan's arms she has tears running down her face and she is purely and utterly terrified.

"Xaphan let her go I can't do this… just let her go." Lucifer says as he sees the sheer terror on her face. Xaphan releases her and she immediately surges forward to where Sam and Dean are. Lucifer goes to hug her and Steff stays still, but flinches when he touches her. He stops, and pulls back to see his mate shaking with her eyes full of terror reminding him of a cornered animal.

"Steff are you… scared of me?" Lucifer questions as he looks at her in disbelief. Steff says nothing, but backs away from him as he says, "Steff I…I wasn't going to hurt…you have never been afraid of me." Sam, Dean, and Xaphan stare in shock at the scene unfolding before them.

"Noooo Lucifer I'm not afraid of you." Steff stutters out trying to get the terror out of her voice.

"I'm so sorry…I never meant…" Lucifer trails off as he backs away from her, "Xaphan come on lets go."

In Hell

The pair flies back to Hell, Lucifer in a state of shock goes to his room and stays there trying to figure when he had started to scare his mate. He can't believe how she backed away from him as though he would hurt her. Lucifer can still see the look of utter terror in her eyes when he had tried to hug her. Lucifer attempts to remember if he had ever seen Steff look so scared of anything, including him. So he goes back to the beginning and even when he was torturing her in the first few months she was always a fighter never even flinched at him. But what could have changed in her what had broken her so truly and utterly that she would be afraid of him. Him, Lucifer, the one man who will love her till the end of time no matter what she does. Then it dawns on him, exactly what she had done recently and sure he was empathetic. He understood that it would take sometime to get over murdering your mother and brother, but he didn't factor into the way Steff had tried to handle it. She was trying to escape, running like a frightened animal afraid to admit that she could be vulnerable. Vulnerable that was the key to this whole situation he thinks. She could never handle being vulnerable even if it was for the briefest of moments. The girl always had to be in control, or she breaks down like this she becomes frightful and skittish. Lucifer now realizes how to fix this.

"I know how to fix it!" Lucifer yells as he rushes out of his room and accidentally flies into Xaphan.

"Fix what Lucifer?" Xaphan questions his determined leader as he brushes himself off.

"Us, her, Steff!" Lucifer exclaims happily to him.

"Wait shouldn't you just leave her be for awhile. Lucifer think about it every time you try to fix things you just terrify the girl. Why don't you let her come to you?" Xaphan suggests while untangling himself from Lucifer.

"No I can fix this!" Lucifer says determinedly and is about to fly off.

"Lucifer no, leave her be!" Xaphan says tired of his leaders misguided attempts to help the girl when it only hurts her. He puts a ring of fire around Lucifer to stop him.

"Xaphan release me!" Lucifer yells angrily at him, shocked that his friend would try to stop him.

"Lucifer leave the girl alone, she has caused herself much pain and you scare her… Lucifer you scare her, when we went up there Steff thought you were going to kill them all. You must stop before you ruin it with the girl. She is on the edge of another break down can't you see that?" Xaphan says as he lowers the fire slowly.

"But I can help her Xaphan I can…" Lucifer trails off again.

"No Lucifer you cannot; she must deal with it on her own terms. You can't fix all her problems my friend." Xaphan says gently to a disheartened Lucifer.

"But what if she never comes back? What if this kills her on the inside? What if it destroys her beyond the point of repair?" Lucifer asks sadly.

"Have faith my friend, if I know Steff and I know the girl pretty well. She'll come back, she always comes back remember her loyalty and love for you runs very deep my friend." Xaphan says wisely trying to reassure him with a small smile. Lucifer realizes Xaphan is right he must let his mate deal with it in her own way, but that doesn't stop Lucifer from watching her very carefully. Lucifer anxiously waits for her call or for her arrival.

Meanwhile on Earth

After the incident with Lucifer the boys took a very shell shocked Steff back to the motel. To the boys Steff looked like she might come undone at any moment. So they basically just tread gently around her, afraid she might have a mental break down if they asked the wrong question.

"Steff do you want a burger cause Sam's going out?" Dean asks looking at Steff who is curled up on the couch staring at the wall.

"No Dean I'm fine, thanks though." Steff replies deadly from the couch.

"Alright Steff well I'm gonna go out with him, so will you be alright her by yourself for an hour or two?" Dean asks kind of hoping she says that she needs him.

"Yeah I'll be ok, I'll call Cas or…uh Michael if I need help." Steff says to Dean still staring at the wall. With that Sam and Dean leave heading to the nearest bar getting a table and ordering food.

"Did you hear her?" Dean asks Sam.

"Yeah I did, kinda sounded like me after Jess' death." Sam says while drinking his beer.

"Sam that's not normal for Steff at least... Did you see how she was terrified of Lucifer back there." Dean points out a little frustrated that Sam is so calm about this.

"I thought that was a little strange too. Especially for her, she was never scared of anything or well at least never shows it." Sam comments.

"Yeah really strange Sam." Dean says as the waitress comes back with their food and the boys eat, pay the bill then drive back to the motel. They open the door only to find Steff sitting on the couch in the same place having not moved an inch, and they have been gone for like three hours.

"Steff you alright over there?" Sam questions while walking over to her.

"Yeah Sam I'm fine." Steff says still dead on the inside. Dean and Sam exchange looks thinking this is definitely getting worse not better.

"Steff should I call Cas?" Dean asks and they both watch as Steff tenses like she is ready to run or fight.

"Steff, Cas won't hurt you. You know that right?" Sam asks and watches as the girl gets off the couch and with a smile walks over to the door.

"Of course I know that…Um I'm gonna go out for a while be back in like an hour tops." Steff says reassuringly as she opens the door.

"Uh… is that really a good idea. I could go with you, or I'm sure Sam…" Dean offers but is stopped.

"NO… I mean I'm just gonna go get some food. Seriously be back in like an hour… time me if you want and if I'm not back in an hour call Cas." Steff says with a small smile, and walks out the door. Dean sets a timer and if she isn't back by then he is calling Cas, Lucifer, and Michael.

Steff on her own

Steff flies to the nearest vampire nest she can find, and once she gets there she begins to kill them sadistically. Some of them she rips their arms out, then pulls their fangs out while she smiles at their screams of pain. Others beg her to stop when she held them down and peeled the skin from their bodies. When she finally killed all the vampires and torched the place. She notices that her time had ran out, but also she feels better knowing something else was in as much pain as she was.

"Dammit!" She mutters as she does her best to clean the blood off of her, but only succeeds minimally. So she flies back to the motel room to find Dean, Sam, Cas, Michael, and Lucifer. Steff almost considers flying away. However she decides to stand up to her fears, but then thinks 'why the hell was I ever scared of Luci to begin with… he is my mate, my friend, and most of all my angel.'

"Steff where have you been?" Dean asks snapping Steff out of her thoughts.

"Umm… just out." Steff mumbles hoping that will satisfy the group as she fiddles with a feather on the top of her wing.

"Sweetheart I can smell the vampire blood on your wings from over here." Lucifer says and is glad to see that Steff doesn't stiffen at his voice.

"Well…." Steff trails off trying to figure out a good explanation.

"Steff it's really a simple question." Sam says glad to see Steff responsive again.

"Maybe for you, but honestly if you must know I was killing vampires, and working out some issues." Steff explains while slowly walking toward Lucifer, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Lucifer asks wondering why she is apologizing when he should be.

"You know what I'm talking about Luci… Now come here my Fallen Angel." Steff says as she tackles the man to the floor and begins kissing roughly him.

"Steff kiss your fluffy angel elsewhere." Dean says with a smile glad to have the real Steff back.

"Hey he's not fluffy Dean. He's compassionate, loving, and most of all my Angel." Steff says while she grinds her hips on his.

"As you are mine Sweetheart, and I love this don't get me wrong, but I don't think they wanna see us have sex, so come with me." Lucifer says as the two disappear.

"Have her back in a three days." Dean shouts after them.

"Dude leave them be." Sam says as he shakes his head as Cas and Michael just laugh.

"Alright you two can go we don't need the angel cavalry anymore." Dean says dismissing the other two.

"I think I will stay." Cas says and turns into his cat form while walking over to the couch and settling on it.

"Unlike Cas I actually have tasks to do so goodbye." Michael says as he disappears. The group watches as Michael disappears, and they settle in for bed. Cas falls asleep on the couch and the boys sleep on their beds.

Next morning

When Dean awakes the next morning he finds Cas no longer on the couch, but next to Dean's face staring at him.

"Cas what are you doing?" Dean asks as he slowly, but not really minding the closeness secretly.

"Well I thought about waking you up, but I decided against it." Cas says while walking on top of Dean's chest and lies down.

"Ok Cas I'm gonna ask you one more time. What the hell are you doing?" Dean asks curiously having to restrain himself from petting him.

"I have seen Steff do this when she wants you to pet her. I would enjoy it very much if you could stroke me." Cas says as he stares at Dean expectantly.

"Oh will you just pet him already." Sam grumbles from the other side of the room.

"Sam, I am not petting an angel other than Steff. She is the only exception." Dean objects as he pushes Cas off. Cas falls off the bed and onto the ground with a hiss, he then pads over to Sam's side of the room.

"Cas come here, I'll pet you." Sam says as Cas jumps up and sits next to him.

"Thank you Sam." Cas purrs as Sam strokes behind his ears.

"No problem Cas." Sam says as he pets Cas lazily. Dean looks over to the clock only to see that it read 8:37 a.m.

"Do we have anything to do today at all Sam?" Dean asks sleepily.

"No Steff killed the nest of vampires you were looking at last night." Cas purrs louder as Sam strokes under his chin. Dean begins to chuckle while lying back down to sleep.

"Shut up Dean before I turn you into a cat." Steff says as she sits on top of Dean's chest as a cat.

"Well look who crawled out of Hell this morning." Dean says while he pets Steff.

"Stop that, before I bite your hand off." Steff snaps as she jumps off of Dean.

"You wouldn't dare you love me too much." Dean smiles as he picks Steff back up, and holds her against his chest.

"Psh love you too much, my ass. You're the biggest most obnoxiously, egotistically, arrogant person I have ever met…. well except for Lucifer he is pretty high on his horse." Steff says as she stops struggling and just accepts the rough petting.

"Hey I am not that high on my horse… I still touch the ground… occasionally." Lucifer says as he jumps onto the bed as a cat next to Cas.

"Well look what the other cat dragged in." Sam smirks as he continues to pet Cas and laughs when Lucifer walks over and jumps on the bed next to Sam then stares at Sam till he pets him.

"Steff I finally understand why you like when Sam pets you, this feels fantastic." Lucifer says as he relaxes next to Sam.

"Yeah he pets gentler than Dean." Steff says as she grits her teeth. Dean just laughs and pets her again.

"Oh don't complain we all know you like it rough." Dean says as he pets her fur the wrong way. Steff hisses at him, and jumps onto the ground.

"Dean I swear you are the most intolerable person sometimes." Steff says as she bites at his hand when he tries to reach for her. Lucifer seeing her fur ruffled jumps down, and goes to help her get it to settle flat again.

"Eww gross man, stop licking my sister." Dean exclaims in disgust at them.

"Its partially your fault man. If you hadn't have ruffled it she wouldn't need to fix it." Sam points out while Cas pads over to where Steff and Lucifer are. Cas then licks Steff's fur and Lucifer growls at him.

"I was just trying to help too." Cas explains as he walks away and jumps up next to Dean.

"I'm still not petting you Cas." Dean says flatly. Steff who finally got her fur fixed crawls under the bed only to find a bright white cat.

"Michael what are you doing under here?" Steff whispers to him.

"I was sleeping, but when I tried to come out Cas glared at me." Michael says sadly.

"Oh get your sensitive ass out here." Steff says as she backs out.

"Michael is that you?" Lucifer asks curiously as he sticks his head under the bed to see Steff and Michael.

"Tis I, the issue in Heaven resolved itself." Michael says shaking his fur out as he crawls out.

"I'm going to bed." Steff states as she jumps back up on Dean's bed and curls up near the pillows.

"Steff its like nine a.m." Dean says as he lays back and puts Steff up on his chest his hand petting her ears softly.

"Shush Dean. Sleep." Steff commands as she puts a paw on his forehead and it knocks him out, "Alright anymore complaints about sleeping." She looks around the room to see Cas and Michael curling up by Sam. Lucifer jumps onto the bed and lies down next to Steff and Dean. The group sleeps until 2:48 pm then Bobby calls about a case in the next state over.


	20. Christmas with the Winchesters

The case Bobby had called them about was a typical salt and burn it took them about a week. The first few days the Sam and Steff did some research on the poltergeist, while Dean went to check out the place the poltergeist was haunting. When they found the location of the bones they burned them forcing the spirit to rest. Now after their successful hunt Sam, Dean, and Steff are on their way back to Bobby's in the Impala.

"Yeah Bobby we are on our way now…. Yeah she is with us why… Oh okay. We'll see you in a few days." Sam says as he hangs up the phone.

"What did Bobby want?" Dean asks while keeping his eyes on the road.

"Yeah and who was she?" Steff asks while lying down on the seat in the back.

"He wanted to know if we were available for Christmas this year apparently he doesn't wanna spend this one alone." Sam explains to them with a grimace while laying his head on the window.

"I see… Sam you alright?" Steff asks worriedly noticing his grimace.

"Yeah Steff just a headache." Sam says as he closes his eyes. Dean looks at Steff in the rearview mirror and thinks at her.

'Steff help him out.' Dean orders mentally.

'Dean don't you think I was going to.' Steff shoots back at him with a glare.

'Don't get short with me huntress.' Dean glares back.

'Why watcha gonna do about it Dean?' Steff taunts with a sneer.

'Steff don't make me stop this car.' Dean warns angrily. Steff not really wanting to push Dean any farther just for the fun of it, scoots over to the side where Sam is, and puts her hand on his shoulder pushing her grace into the wound healing it.

"Thanks Steff." Sam says as he falls asleep.

"Sam, hey don't go to sleep…. Man we were about to stop for food." Dean says and he about to shake Sam awake when Steff stops him.

"Dean, leave him alone he had an infection, and was suffering from a concussion plus he lost about two pints of blood from his torn stitches." Steff explains as she lifts up Sam's shirt to show Dean the wound. Steff had healed it but there was still a thin pink scar.

"How the hell did he hide that?" Dean says flabbergasted.

"Well we were busy and it was healing well until the poltergeist touched it. The spirit caused an infection to spread rapidly, but he is fine now I fixed him." Steff explains to him while lowering a sleeping Sam's shirt, and materializing a blanket for him then laying back down in the back with her wings wrapped around herself.

"Oh… I thought he seemed a little slow before the fight." Dean says as he turns back to the road. They drive in silence for six hours before Dean decides he absolutely needs food. So Dean stops at a diner and gets out of the car only to see that Steff and Sam are still sleeping. Dean just shakes his head and goes inside to get a hamburger. So Dean went inside and had his hamburger when he comes back he notices the car is empty.

"STEFF, SAM!" Dean shouts as he looks around only to hear the sound of giggling in the parking lot only to find Sam lying on the grass staring up at the clouds, "Sam what are you doing?" Sam who is so high by now that he can barely remember who he is looks at Dean with a big smile.

"Dean there you are." Sam says animatedly while getting up and hugging Dean.

"Yes Sam it's me, now where is our sister?" Dean asks while leading a dazed Sam back to the car.

"Steff…Oh she went somewhere." Sam answers with glassy eyes.

"Yeah I can see that, but do you know where she went." Dean asks trying to get Sam into the car, but Sam keeps trying to hug him.

"Dean your warm." Sam says as he snuggles into him.

"Sam let go, and sit down in the car." Dean snaps at him.

"Dean you're bossy…Hey Steff was here like a minute ago…I think…where is she?" Sam asks as Dean manages to get him to sit in the passenger seat.

"Sam I don't know." Dean grumbles as he sits back down in the driver's seat. Dean noticed that Sam had turned toward the window, and began laughing as he moved his arm as if petting something.

"Dean can you hand me that blanket." Sam slurs as he tries to curl up.

"Sam let me go! Dean help he has a grip like a vise." Steff says while trying to squirm out of Sam's arms.

"Sam give me Steff right now!" Dean orders and Sam looking like a sad puppy passes the cat over to him. Once out of Sam's grip Steff jumps into the back seat and lies down.

"Steff come back your warm." Sam pleads as he shivers up front.

"Fine, but don't hold me so tight it hurts." Steff says as she jumps back into Sam's lap. Sam who is now back to smiling, pulls the blanket up around them.

"Steff care to explain." Dean says as he starts to drive away.

"Well seems that Sam can't handle his weed very well… I gave him a little to take off the edge, but he said he wanted more so I gave him a little of the stronger stuff." Steff explains to Dean, "Apparently Sam is very affectionate when he's high, but at least he isn't in pain… Plus he is super happy."

"Steff I can't believe… How long till this wears off?" Dean asks knowing they only have a solid twelve hours till Bobby's.

"I'd give him a solid sixteen hours till he is fine again." Steff judges while purring on Sam's lap.

"Son of a bitch! What will we tell Bobby?" Dean asks as he glares at Steff.

"Just drive a little slower or take a nap. I don't know just make the trip a few hours longer Dean." Steff says sleepily as she snuggles into a sleeping Sam's lap.

"Fine I'll figure it out." Dean sighs watching the two in the passenger seat with a smile. So Dean realizing he needs to make this trip longer decides to take the scenic route. Which ends up taking him to right past a mall, and since it's almost Christmas he decides he wants to surprise Sam and Steff with gifts. Making sure both of them are asleep, and the Impala is parked where no one can bother them Dean heads into the mall. Dean first stops into one of the clothes shops hoping to find Sam a new jacket his old one had been damaged in a fight. After finding one that Sam would wear he buys it with the cash that him and Steff had hustled in a game of pool. Now all he had to do was find something for Steff. She doesn't need clothing she can create that herself, she had a necklace from Michael and Lucifer she always wear. She doesn't need a new knife she still has the ebony one that never needs sharpening. So Dean at a loss, decides to wander around the mall. On his fourth circuit of the shops he comes across a shop that sells odd little knick-knacks. He glances around at the owner's wares and a shiny ring catches his eye. The ring is gold with a dragon with black scales on one side and a pure white unicorn on the other, and where the two creatures met. There was a deep blue gem it was the exact shade of Steff's eyes. The owner noticing Dean admiring the ring takes it out of the case.

"The gem is a real sapphire." The man states and hands the ring to Dean, who inspects the craftsman ship.

"Really?" Dean says while turning the ring over and notices it's the exact size as Steff's finger.

"Yes, and the animals represent the eternal fight of good and evil. The black dragon symbolizes the darkest evil sent forth from Hell to destroy humanity; while the white unicorn represents the warrior Heaven sent forth to fight the evil and protect humanity." The owner explains to Dean. Dean lets out a small chuckle thinking how the ring is perfect for Steff.

"I'll take it Sir." Dean says.

"Sure one hundred and fifty dollars." He says as he holds his hand out for money. Dean nods and hands him the money. Having finished his shopping he happily heads back to the Impala to find Sam and Steff still sleeping. He just shakes his head and laughs softly, after hiding the presents under the back seat. He starts up the car while pulling out of the parking lot, and getting back on the road headed towards Bobby's. He drove quietly till Steff wakes up a few hours later. Steff jumps off Sam's lap and onto Deans then settles over his legs.

"Are we almost there yet?" Steff says groggily.

"Yeah about four hours out, why?" Dean says as he begins to pet Steff lazily with one hand.

"No reason. Hey we should stop and get Bobby a new hat; his old one is crumbly and gross." Steff purrs as Dean scratches behind her ear.

"Yeah sure we can stop up here at the truck stop. Hey is Sammy okay over there?" Dean says as he gestures to Sam's sleeping body.

"He's fine I just knocked him out so I can go get him a present. Oh that reminds me I still need to get you something. Dean what do you want for Christmas?" Steff asks Dean from his lap.

"World peace, the end world hunger, or maybe a new pair of socks." Dean suggests jokingly.

"Hmm… so if I get you a dog you'll be okay with that?" Steff asks sarcastically.

"Where the hell would I put a dog?" Dean asks skeptically.

"So a pair of socks it is." Steff says while she finally comes up with a good present.

"Steff you don't need to get me anything." Dean says remembering the gift he got her.

Steff just smiles and falls silent on Dean's lap. When Dean finally pulls into the truck stop Steff jumps out as a person and walks into the shop area. While Dean waits in the car incase Sam wakes up. Steff wanders around the store until she comes upon the wall of hats. So Steff knowing Bobby likes his old hat a lot finds one that is the same kind of net hat but instead of a faded blue it's a black with white lettering that she did herself, it says 'I got 99 problems, but a demon ain't 1'. After she buys the hat she thinks about what would be good for Dean, and then she remembers the ring on his hand. Steff doesn't want to replace it but when she sees a ring in the shop she thought it was perfect for Dean. The ring had a dragon carved onto the ring. The dragon was dark green and the ring base was silver. Steff immediately pays for the ring using her powers to resize it to Dean's finger size, and then hides it in her pocket so Dean won't notice it. When she gets back to the car she notices Sam has awoken and is eating some cold pancakes Dean had gotten him back at the diner.

"Did you get it?" Dean asks while stealing one of Sam's pancakes.

"Hey you already had food!" Sam shouts with a mouthful of pancake.

"Yes, here." Steff says as she shows him the hat, Dean and Sam read it and laugh, "Sam here have some hot pancakes." Steff says as she materializes some fresh pancakes for her brother. Smiling as his eyes light up at the steaming plate of pancakes.

"Thanks Steff," Sam says as he takes a bite of the new pancakes moaning out in pleasure, "Steff these are fantastic!"

"Yeah I know, I may be a huntress but that doesn't mean I can't cook." Steff says to him with a smile.

"When Dad told us about you he said we would never have to eat bad road food again." Dean says teasingly.

"Dean are you really making a sexist joke right now?" Sam says through a mouthful of pancakes.

"Cause if you are I can think of another place to put that pancake that you won't enjoy." Steff threatens with a glare from the back seat.

"Geeze you two, what is it gang up on Dean day." Dean says as he pulls out back onto the road.

Bobby's House

When the group finally reaches Bobby its nighttime. Bobby who had been expecting them comes out to greet them from the porch.

"Look who finally decided to show up?" Bobby says jokingly as the group walks up to the porch and once they get there he hugs Steff.

"Bobby its great to see you too." Steff says with a smile while returning the hug.

"Hey Bobby." Sam says as he wraps Bobby and Steff in a bear hug, knocking their breath out of them slightly; Bobby gives Sam a strange look.

"What's wrong with your brother?" Bobby says as he pulls out of Sam's arms.

"Sam, there's nothing wrong with Sam he's fine Bobby." Dean answers while pulling Sam away from Bobby before he smells the weed.

"Steff do you have anymore pancakes? Cause I'm kinda hungry... again" Sam asks Steff still coming down from the high. Bobby just giving him a strange look and figures it isn't worth knowing. Then walks into the house with the Winchesters behind him. The group settles into the living room Sam and Steff on the couch, Bobby in the recliner, and Dean coming back from the kitchen with beers. After passing them out Dean settles between Steff and Sam with a groan from Steff, but Sam just leans on him.

"Dean you're warm." Sam states with smile as he closes his eyes, and falls asleep with his head on Dean's shoulder.

"Sam get off of me," Dean says as he pushes Sam's head off of him, "fix him."

"Dean just switch me spots." Steff says as she switches spots with Dean as he grumbles.

"Steff your wings are warm and fluffy like those pancakes from earlier." Sam says slowly as if he is having trouble forming words.

"Sam…Sam…. Sammy…Hey Sam how bout you let me heal you… Hmm?" Steff suggests as Sam just curls closer to her.

"Sure Steff you're warm and soft. I like that about you." Sam mumbles absent-mindedly into Steff's wing. Steff just smiles at Sam as she cleanses his body of the drugs; Sam however is still sleepy, so Steff just lets him nap on her shoulder. Bobby who has been watching the scene unfold before him just gives them a strange glance.

"Was he high Steff?" Bobby asks while taking a swig of his beer.

"Yeah he's affectionate when he's high, and he really enjoys pancakes." Steff says while trying to maneuver her moose of a brother off of her wing cause its starting to fall asleep, and Steff hates it because it gets all tingly.

"I found them like this." Dean says while drinking his beer.

"Well its been a long day, and considering tomorrows Christmas. I'm gonna take Sammy here up to bed, then I'm gonna head out to the barn. See you guys in the morning." Steff says as she lifts Sammy up, and getting him to walk was impossible so she just carries him to the bed and right, as she is about to walk away. Sam grabs her wrist and pulls her down into the bed with him.

"Don't go." Sam mumbles sleepily.

"Sam it's fine I don't mind sleeping in the barn." Steff says as she tries to walk away.

"Steff stay. You shouldn't sleep outside on Christmas Eve." Sam pleads groggily. Steff seeing he isn't going to budge on this. So she turns into a lioness, and jumps onto the bed next to Sam. Then she snuggles into his chest as he pulls the blanket up. Sam just smiles and pets her ears as the pair falls asleep. When Dean comes up to bed later he just laughs quietly when he sees Sam curled around a lioness in the bed 'like a giant stuffed animal' he thinks. Dean then crashes on his bed, but can't fall asleep right away. He's just a little too excited about the giving Steff the ring, and to see how Bobby likes his new hat. Though eventually sleepiness wins out and everyone is asleep. So no one notices when Lucifer, Michael, and Cas show up to the house.

"Should we announce our arrival?" Michael asks his brothers quietly.

"No leave them be, humans need sleep we can just wait here till morning." Cas explains and sits on the couch.

"Yeah Michael if Steff doesn't get at least twelve hours of sleep she's kinda irritable." Lucifer comments while sitting down next to Cas on the couch, and stretches out his wings.

"Very well, but what do we do till then?" Michael asks as he lies on the floor.

"Read a book or take a nap." Lucifer suggests as he turns into a cat, then walks over to Cas' lap and sits on it.

"Lucifer can I help you?" Cas asks as he tries to push his strange brother off.

"Can you pet me? It would make me very happy." Lucifer asks while flicking his tail. Cas who doesn't really want to pet Lucifer turns into a cat and jumps off the couch.

"You could have just said no." Lucifer pouts as he lies on the cushion. Cas just laughs, and jumps back onto the couch settling on the opposite cushion. The angels now all in cat form Michael had transformed during Cas and Lucifers argument, sleep on the couch waiting for the Winchesters and Bobby to wake up in the morning.

Christmas Morning.

When Steff gets up the next morning she notices she is the first to rise. Steff having not taken a shower in a few days decides it might be a good idea to take one. Once she finishes she wanders downstairs with just a towel thinking she's the only one awake, to get clothing, but she trips on a loose board halfway down the stairs and drops the towel and that's when she notices all of the angels in the living room.

"What the hell!" Steff shouts in embarrassment as she dashes past them to the basement door abandoning the towel.

"Sweetheart it's alright its nothing I've never seen before." Lucifer says as he follows her down the stairs grabbing the towel.

"Luci give me a god damn minute." Steff says face still flushed in embarrassment as she puts on her favorite jeans, her teal and purple flannel with a black camisole, and she put on her leather boots that Cas got her a few years back. Apparently he charmed the leather so it never wears out. Michael and Cas not really fazed by the nudity chime in.

"Well its not really that bad compared to angels, we walk around nude for the first seven days of our life, before our vessels form." Cas comments as he and Michael turn into people.

"Yeah so when we see you naked once in awhile reminds us of home." Michael says nonchalantly.

"My god; my guardian angel and the general of Heaven, plus the ruler of Hell are talking about me being naked, someone end me now." Steff prays into the air.

"Sweetheart it's not that bad." Lucifer tries to comfort his embarrassed angel.

"Yeah whatever Luci, come on let's go up there before they come looking for us." Steff suggests as she kisses him; Lucifer just smiles as he follows her up the stairs. When the pair gets up there they see Cas, and Michael in their human forms waiting on the other hunters. Steff realizing this is the perfect time to go get her presents goes out to the barn, and brings back the colorfully wrapped boxes as she places them under the small fir tree Bobby had bought for the occasion. The other hunters who had awoken due to the racket Steff and the other angels were making.

"Steff is it really too much to ask to let us sleep in this morning?" Dean asks groggily.

"Dean its not even morning anymore its half past noon." Steff points out.

"Guys stop arguing its Christmas." Sam says wishing Steff had made pancakes.

"Oh hey I made breakfast, it's in the kitchen." Steff says as she finishes placing the presents under the tree. When Sam and Dean walk into the kitchen they see a mountain of pancakes and bacon.

"Dean pancakes!" Sam exclaims as he hears Steff's laughter from the living room. Dean just smirks as he and Sam grab a plate and dig in.

"You idjits save me some." Bobby says as he enters the kitchen.

"Morning Bobby." The group says as Bobby begins to eat. Michael and Cas enter the kitchen not sure what could have made the men so happy.

"What is a pancake?" Michael asks while picking one up and smelling it.

"You've never had a pancake before Michael?" Lucifer asks in disbelief.

"No Lucifer I haven't." Michael says as Cas picks one up and takes a bite. Michael seeing Cas bite it, and chew it figures they must be safe so he does the same.

"So how is it?" Steff asks with a smile.

"Very good, I enjoy this very much Steff." Michael says as he finishes eating the pancake. Lucifer and Steff just laugh at the archangel's reaction. After everyone had their fill of breakfast they all settle into the living room for gifts. Steff hands Bobby their present.

"I got 99 problems, but a demon ain't 1," Bobby reads out loud, "I take it this was some custom work." Bobby says as he slips the hat onto his head liking how it fits well just like his old hat used to.

"Glad you like it Bobby." Steff says cheerily.

"Here Steff." Dean says as he hands her the gift box. Steff smiles to herself realizing they both got each other rings.

"Here I got you one too." Steff says as she hands him a similar small box.

"Opens yours first." Dean says wanting to see her face as she opens it. So Steff opens the box to find a gold ring with black dragon, and a white unicorn fighting over a beautiful blue gem. When Steff picks the ring up she puts it on her finger with a large smile.

"Dean it's beautiful!" Steff exclaims while admiring it on her finger noticing that she suddenly feels a hint of anger plus kinda foggy, but manages to subdue it.

"I'm glad you like it." Dean says as he opens his box to find a silver ring with a dark green dragon on it. As Dean slips his old ring off he feels a hint of sadness, but thinks nothing of it, as he puts on the new ring suddenly feeling foggy, and a little indifferent.

"How's it fit?" Steff asks unsure if she sized it right.

"Yeah its fine. How's yours fit?" Dean asks hoping it fits good.

"Its great. Now Sam here's yours." Steff says as she hands him a medium-sized box and Dean hands him a large box too.

"Thanks guys, but you didn't have to." Sam says as he unwraps the boxes. Steff had gotten Sam a new knife similar to the one that she had and Dean had gotten Sam a new jacket. Dean and Steff just shrug and say it was nothing.

"Sweetheart care to come back to Hell with me?" Lucifer asks hoping for some alone time with her.

"Sure thing Luci, guys this was nice but I'm gonna go visit the fallen and Crowley. So I will see you in a couple of days." Steff says as she flies down with Lucifer.

"Bye." The group calls out after them. After that Michael and Cas decide its time for them to go they need to answer prayers. So with only Dean, Sam, and Bobby left the group goes outside to enjoy the snow falling down while drinking some beers. This is what they do for the rest of the day.

Next Day

(In Hell)

"Luci I think I'm just gonna stay here for awhile." Steff says while she wanders down to the pits where the souls to be tortured are located.

"Steff are you sure?" Lucifer asks thinking its odd for Steff to want to torture the souls.

"Yeah I can go see Sam and Dean later." Steff says as she disappears into a pit. She picks up an almost dull blade, and begins to cut into the soul in the pit. The man screams for Steff to stop, but Steff just laughs as she cuts out the man's liver and shows it to him. The man not being able to take the torture anymore passes out. Steff however isn't done playing with him, so she heals him and starts a new. This time she peels the skin off of the man in patches, and right; as he is about to pass out again she injects him with adrenaline so he stays awake till she's done. Steff does this for the rest of the week trying new kinds of torture out on the man.

A Week later

Now Lucifer having not seen Steff in a week begins to worry. He searches the pits for her, only to find her covered in blood and sadistically smiling at the victim hanging in chains while carving a recipe for pie into him.

"Sweetheart what are you doing?" Lucifer asks worried that his lover may have lost it.

"Luci, what does it look like I'm doing." Steff says not even stopping to acknowledge Lucifer to busy carving the man up.

"Steff are you feeling alright?" Lucifer asks as he walks over to Steff, and takes the blade out of her hand then sets it on a nearby table. He tries to guide her out of the room, but she pulls away from him.

"Lucifer I feel fine and I was having fun." Steff points out as she picks the knife up, and walks back over to the mutilated corpse picking up where she left off.

"Steff come with me for a moment please." Lucifer says gently, but Steff ignores the comment and goes back to her work. "Sweetheart come quickly Dean, and Sam are in danger." Lucifer shouts at Steff trying to grab her attention.

"So." Steff says unconcerned as she cuts into the man's foot muscles tearing the muscle tissue one at a time. Lucifer just stands there in shock having never heard Steff so calm after he presented news of her brothers good or bad.

"What do you mean so? Steff your brothers are in danger and the best you got is so." Lucifer says skeptically while looking at Steff with a shocked expression. Steff who is tired of talking to Lucifer just turns back around to her work. Lucifer can't believe what he's hearing decides to go talk with Bobby 'maybe he'll know what's wrong with her' he thinks. Though as he leaves Lucifer fails to notice the ring on Steff's finger. When the ring was first given the animals were equal, but now the dragon has begun to take over the gem.

At Bobby's

So Lucifer flies to Bobby's house to find the men resting in the living room leafing through lore books.

"We need to talk." Lucifer says as he pops in by a bookcase.

"Lucifer." Dean says as he continues leafing through a book.

"Hey Lucifer where's Steff?" Bobby asks looking up from his book.

"Steff…. she has been killed in an accident." Lucifer lies to them trying to gauge their reactions.

"What!" Sam and Bobby both say as they exchange shocked glances.

"So what." Dean says nonchalantly not even looking up from the book.

"What do you mean so what? Dean, Steff is dead." Sam shouts angrily.

"Boy what is wrong with you, your sister is dead?" Bobby yells at him in shock.

"Good riddance that girl was annoying, needy, and useless." Dean says with a smile. Sam who can't believe what he's hearing throws holy water at Dean. Bobby mutters christo and nothing happens at all just a wet Dean who looks like he could care less.

"Dean how can you say that?" Sam questions as tears begun to fall from his eyes.

"Easy, the girl was pretty high maintenance. I mean think about it Sam the girl caused us more trouble than she was ever worth." Dean says as he puts the book down and grabs a beer from the kitchen. Bobby and Sam are just left standing there with their faces expressing horror.

"Hmm…. She was just as indifferent to you guys too." Lucifer says as he compares Dean's reaction to Steffs.

"What the hell are you talking about Lucifer? Steff is dead." Sam says voice thick with sadness.

"No actually she's not. I lied to you, but there is something wrong with her and apparently Dean too." Lucifer says to Sam and Bobby who are just wearing confused looks, "Steff was never hurt. She has been acting strange ever since Christmas night. I thought maybe you guys had a falling out, or something but that does not appear to be so. Though I have never seen Dean so indifferent to Steff." Sam and Bobby who are still working off Lucifers lie; look at each other trying to think if Dean and Steff had been fighting before she left.

"No they weren't fighting, in fact they were getting along great." Sam points out remembering how happy they had all been.

"Yeah especially after they gave each other those fancy rings." Bobby says thinking about how they'd been all rainbows and sunshine after the gift exchange.

"Rings… can I see Dean's for a minute please?" Lucifer asks hoping this isn't what he thinks this is.

"Dean pass us your ring." Sam says holding his hand out. Dean finally looking up from the book and looks down at the ring, but gets a feeling of anger as he reaches out to take it off.

"No Sam and what would that have to do with that disobedient bitch?" Dean says and Steff picks that moment to show up.

"What did you just call me Dean?" Steff asks flaring her wings out in outrage as their rings begin to fuel their anger.

"I called you exactly what you are. A Disobedient Bitch." Dean says as he punctuates each word harshly.

"Dean why would you say that?" Sam asks wondering why his brother would be so hurtful for no reason other than to be mean, especially when she did nothing to deserve it. Lucifer who has been sitting quietly notices how Dean's ring has begun to darken from a light green to a deep angry sage.

"Well if you really feel that way Dean then let me just go…. and for your information Dean you ain't winning any brother of the year awards, you dick." Steff says as she flies out in anger and hurt. Dean having finally pushed her over the edge so much that she even thinks about seeking Samael ready to take up his offer.

"Dean you idjit! What the hell did you say that for?" Bobby asks angrily, and Lucifer who had been lurking on the sidelines, walks over to where Dean is standing, grabs his hand, and jerks the ring off his finger. Dean who had been angry suddenly feels calm and back to his normal self.

"What happened?" Dean asks shaking the fog out of his brain.

"This ring Steff gave you must have been cursed." Lucifer says while looking at the ring and cleansing it with his grace, erasing the evil magic from the object. Then hands it back to Dean. Who looks at the thing warily, but puts it back on feeling like his normal self still.

"So that ring is what fueled his anger, but that doesn't explain Steffs." Lucifer says trying to figure out why she could be acting so strange.

"Dean where did you get her ring at?" Sam asks thinking that it could have caused the problem too.

"Some shop in a mall. The guy told me about how the dragon represented evil, and the unicorn was the warrior who was supposed to stop the evil." Dean recalls remembering how the shop had seemed normal no weird voodoo or strange symbols.

"Dean you bought your sister a cursed ring." Lucifer says as he remembers having heard the legend of the ring before.

"What do you mean?" Sam asks having never heard of the ring.

"That ring was created by a witch who was scorned by her lover. She was convinced the man who was cheating on her was sent from Hell. So the ring causes the wearer to either become good or evil based on the wearer's personality. If the person is a benevolent being the ring increases the person's darker side no matter how small it is. Now if the person is malevolent the ring increases the good inside of the person. Seeing how Steff is usually a good person the ring has probably caused her to be eviler. Hence why she didn't care that you were in trouble or the fact that she had actually enjoyed torturing souls." Lucifer explains to the group of men, "Though I have no idea what she meant by the whole I'm leaving thing, and this may be very bad since I can't track her anymore." Lucifer says worry coating his words trying to feel Steff through the bond.

"She wouldn't kill herself would she?" Bobby asks them worriedly.

"No she sounded like she was going to just leave." Sam contributes.

"What about Samael?" Cas interjects having showed up because he couldn't track Steff either and it worried him.

"What do you mean Cas?" Dean asks wondering what an archangel of death could have to do with anything.

"Samael offered a position with him as an angel of death and if she took it she could kill anyone with just a touch. Also she would never be allowed into Heaven again." Cas explains to the men who all stare in shock.

"She wouldn't take it… would she Lucifer?" Sam says hoping for some reassurance.

"Not if she was in her right mind, but with the ring her inhibitions are lowered. I need to go now before she makes a terrible choice." Lucifer says as he flies to where Samael is.

Meanwhile

After Dean had said those things to Steff she flies to Hell, but decides against Samael's offer then flies as far as she can on earth. Steff can't believe Dean would call her that again. When she lands she finds herself in the Himalayans near the den of a snow leopard. Steff, who is tired of human company or angels for that matter, decides to chill with the nearest felines available. So on approach of the den she turns herself into a lioness, and tells the leopard of her intention. The male leopard is wary of her, but does not refuse her. For his trouble Steff gives the male a mountain sheep's carcass. Curious as to whom her new roommate is she begins a telepathic conversation with him.

'My name is Steff, what's yours?' Steff asks the leopard.

'Zakiel.' Zakiel responds looking at Steff and ripping off a leg of the sheep.

"Zakiel now with a name like that I assume you are an angel." Steff says out loud while grabbing a piece of the sheep.

"You are correct and with a name like Steff…" Zakiel says in between chews, "Ahh Steff you must be Lucifer's mate, The Angelic Huntress, or more known amongst us angels the Righteous Lady."

"I see my reputation precedes me… Only good things I hope." Steff says with smirk as she gnaws on a bone.

"Well according to your guardian." Zakiel says returning the smirk; "I would call you hardheaded, reckless, and on occasion sadistic." Steff having heard too much criticism for one day drops her bone, and walks into the furthest corner of the den. She curls up into a corner making herself as small as a lioness can with her tail wrapped around her.

"Steff you did not let me finish." Zakiel persists while following her back and sitting in front of her looking down into her eyes.

"Zakiel I don't think I really want to hear anymore... Today has been kinda rough." Steff says with a jaded tone.

"Steff just let me finish. Castiel also said you were one of the most loyal, compassionate, and self-sacrificing angels he has ever met. Especially after what you did for Lilliael and Vernael." Zakiel finishes with a smile.

"Lilly and Vern how are those two?" Steff says with a smile remembering her training session with them.

"They are well. Lilliael and Vernael have been helping to train younger angels. Plus helping their charges, after they saved you. Michael promoted them to full guardian angel status." Zakiel informs Steff noticing her demeanor change as she turns into a human, but he notices something strange glowing on her finger, "Steff what is that?"

"Oh this is the ring my brother got me for Christmas." Steff says as she takes it off noticing how clear her head becomes as she hands it to Zakiel. Zakiel who knows the legend of the ring cleanses it as he hands it back to her.

"Steff that ring was cursed." Zakiel says while she puts it back on her finger.

"Really what was it supposed to do?" Steff asks realizing her head is still clear unlike before.

"It was made by an angry witch. She enchanted it to make evil people good and good people evil; also it changes people they tend to act out of ordinary. But I have cleansed it so the ring is safe now." Zakiel explains giving Steff the short story. "So if you have been having weird urges it wasn't you it was the ring."

"Well that explains why I tortured that poor man, and why Dean's words set me off so easily." Steff says thinking about how she had enjoyed flaying the man's skin.

"What words?" Zakiel asks Steff as he curls up next to her because he noticed her shivering.

"Thanks… Oh its nothing Zakiel." Steff says not really wanting to drag another angel into the mix.

"If it's nothing then why do you feel the need to hide it?" Zakiel asks gently as he lays his head on her thigh and she begins to stroke it.

"Are you affiliated Zakiel?" Steff asks trying to change the subject.

"Yes." Zakiel says with a curt nod.

"Do you mind me asking how?" Steff asks hesitantly sensing he might not want to talk about it.

"I am what you would call an angel of truth." Zakiel answers.

"Like Marchosias." Steff points out thinking about how she saw Marchosias wandering around Hell answering some of the damned soul's questions.

"Marchosias…How is she?" Zakiel asks his tone tinged with worry.

"Oh she is great! In fact Lucifer made her, Bernael, Xaphan, Samael, Bahzemet, and Crowley co-rulers of Hell; I think it works like a democracy." Steff answers, but she notices a slight sparkle in Zakiel's eyes, "Is she your mate Zakiel?"

"Yes she was before Lucifer persuaded her to rebel." Zakiel says spitefully.

"He can be quite charismatic sometimes, but if she is your mate then why don't you go see her?" Steff comments wondering why he wouldn't just go visit her.

"Angels from Heaven cannot be with the fallen." Zakiel explains.

"Not last time I checked. In fact Balthazar and Bernael mated years ago, he even gave up all of the bonds he had with the other angels." Steff tells him.

"Well even so I'm not sure she will want to see me." Zakiel says as he turns away from Steff's sympathetic look.

"Since you are an angel of truth, I believe you know that's a lie." Steff says with a knowing look.

"True, but then you must know that what Dean said to you wasn't true, and if you had stayed the ring you gave him was also cursed." Zakiel points out to Steff who just stands there with a confused look. After he points that out Steff realizes that it has all just been one big cursed object induced fight.

"My god I hate witches." Steff exhales out while preparing to fly, but is stopped by Zakiel.

"Let's wait till tomorrow." Zakiel suggest as he curls into Steff's lap as a snow leopard.

"Very well." Steff says as she rests her back against the den wall, and begins to stroke him. As soon as Zakiel notices Steff's breathing even out he calls to Lucifer quietly just telling him that she is safe and with him. Then he calls to Michael.

"Did you find her?" Michael asks quietly noticing Steff curled up in a corner of the den shivering.

"I found her and explained that the ring was cursed then I cleansed it. She told me about Marchosias." Zakiel says quietly trying not to wake Steff. Michael hears the comment but is walking over to Steff, and puts her into a deeper sleep so he can fly her back to her worried family.

"You should go to her. Lucifer told me she misses you greatly ever since she found out that we are allowing mixing for mates." Michael comments with a reassuring smile with Steff in his arms. Zakiel smiles as he notices Steff curls up into Michael's arms and is whispering sorry over and over again.

"Why is she always apologizing Zakiel?" Michael asks as he curls her closer to him.

"She feels bad about how her brothers lives turned out, and she mourns for her other brother the one she killed." Zakiel says having been able to pick through her thoughts when she was asleep trying to figure out a way to ease the girl's heavy heart.

"She still hasn't come to terms with the fact that this was her destiny. That it had to be this way." Michael says with a sad sigh knowing that she has had a rough life, but if she just accepted it, it would be so much easier for her.

"Michael you must remember that killing ones family is very difficult no matter what they did." Zakiel says referencing what he did to Lucifer.

"Do not remind me Zak." Michael warns as he shifts Steff again.

"Dean…. Sam…. Luci." Steff mumbles as she wakes up slowly having felt herself being shifted in arms thinking they're Lucifers. But when she blinks a few times she realizes that they're Michaels, and she jumps out then moves as far away from them as possible.

"Steff what's wrong its just me." Michael says reassuringly trying to figure out the reason for the girl's sudden shock.

"Zakiel waita rat me out you dick. I should have known not to trust an angel of truth… a bunch of tattle tales you guys are." Steff snaps at him tired of having her trust betrayed by freaking angels, and angels of truth at that.

"Steff I just wanted to ease their worry." Zakiel tries to explain.

"Don't blame him he was just trying to help." Michael says to the cornered angel.

"Yeah I bet so where is he?" Steff asks bitterly.

"Sweetheart don't be mad at them. They just wanted to help you." Lucifer says gently while slowly moving towards his angry angel.

"No I'm tired of everyone's freaking help. I don't need help all right; I don't need yours, his, Sams, Bobbys, Deans, or anyone else's. So just stop!" Steff shouts at them angrily with hot tears running down her face while pushing past them out into the blizzard.

"Steff stop your going to get yourself hurt." Lucifer says as he tries to follow her out, but her tracks stop abruptly. They fly after her all of them including Zakiel, but Steff just ducks down into the snow hiding. After a few minutes she just shakes her head while dusting herself off and mutters, "Stupid angels." Once she is sure the men are gone she actually flies down to Antarctica, and sits in the snow. Watching the ice storm rage around her, the tears that fall from her face freeze mid air and fall into the snow. She smiles as watches a family of polar bears out on the ice. The cubs are slipping on the ice and skidding everywhere while the mom tries to teach them how to hunt fish through the ice. Right as the mom catches a fish one of the cubs runs towards her, but before her claws can grip the ice. She slips right off the edge into the frigid sea. The mother and other cub rush to the edge, but the cub doesn't surface and the mother begins to roar in anguish for her missing daughter. Steff seeing this immediately dives into the water searching for the cub hoping she isn't too late with no regard for her own safety, only focused on saving the bear. Under the water Steff twists and turns searching for hide or hair of the cub finding nothing. Steff dives deeper under the ice as she notices a sudden flash of white fur. Instantly she darts forward and grabs the cub pushing her grace into it to keep it alive till she can reach the surface. Right as she breaks the surface of the water she puts the cub on the ice, and shoves her grace into the poor thing to heal it's injuries and keeps its lungs going. After what seems like an eternity the cub begins to breathe again as it coughs the icy water out of its lungs. The mother and brother rush over to her cub. The mom begins to lick its fur trying to get its circulation going again, and the brother just looks at Steff with thankful eyes… well as thankful as a polar bear can. Steff looks to the young girl cub as she looks at the angel with grateful eyes. The girl cub runs from her mom to Steff, and nuzzles Steff's face seeing as Steff still hasn't pulled herself out of the water. She smiles at the cub, and shoos it back to its mother and brother who begin to walk back off the ice. Steff is about to pull herself out of the water when something suddenly pulls her under by her wings. The unseen attacker pulls Steff deep under, biting into her delicate wings drawing blood. Steff who was tired from saving the cub realizes she can't break the hold. So she instead decides to focus to keep from wasting energy as she waits for an opening. When whatever is holding her wings eases up slightly, she makes her move putting all her energy into turning around. She turns around only to find that a seal on top of her wings. So instead of killing it she uses her mind to make it leave her alone. The seal complies, and swims away leaving Steff some forty feet under the water with damaged wings, very little strength, and next to no breath. Steff has come to the conclusion that she is about to drown underwater. She makes a valiant effort to make it to the top, but she just can't. Her vision begins to fade to black on the edges, and with her last thought she laughs and thinks 'I guess Lucifer was right'. This is how our heroine dies her story fades to black.

Or does it?


	21. And from Death we are reborn or something like that

About a week has passed

When Steff wakes up she is in a dark room. Slowly Steff tries to sit up, but finds that she is strapped to a soft surface.

"Help!" Steff shouts in a hoarse voice as panic begins to set in. She begins twisting in the straps trying to break free. "Please anyone! Help me! Cas please!" She begs desperately into the air, and in her desperation she manages to break a strap allowing her to free herself from her bonds. Once free she gets off the bed and suddenly drops to her knees gasping in pain as her wings begin to throb.

"Please someone help me…" She whispers into the darkness as the pain causes her to black out again.

29 Hours later

Steff awakes again though this time she isn't in a dark room, but rather in laying in Dean's bed at Bobby's house.

"Hello?" Steff says quietly into the air listening for a response. Hearing none she gets up again. Although this time she isn't hit with as much pain, but rather vertigo having lain down in one spot for so long. So Steff slowly stands up heavily leaning on the wall for support as she makes her way to the stairs, but right as she goes to take a step she trips and falls head first down them.

"Help." She whimpers quietly. Dean who had been in the shower at the time comes running out having heard the loud crash, and finds Steff lying at the bottom of the stairs not moving.

"Oh shit Steff!" Dean shouts as he throws on a shirt and pants then sprints down the stairs.

"Dean, I'm sorry." Steff whispers as darkness claims her again. Dean seeing her unconscious again picks her up, and puts her back in his bed. He checks her over making sure bones are still in the correct places. Satisfied that she is all right he lies down next to her and pets her hair softly, whispering the lyrics to 'Only the Good Die Young' by Billy Joel. He smiles when she curls closer to him seeking comfort. So Dean provides it after having talked to Michael, Zakiel, and Lucifer they told him what they had discovered in his sister's mind. Then a few days later Castiel showed up with a frozen, broken, and near dead Steff. Castiel had told him how she had saved a polar bear cub from drowning, but was later dragged under by a seal not having enough strength to save herself. Dean shakes his head in amazement that his sister would risk her life for a simple polar bear.

5 hours later

When Sam and Bobby get back from the store they notice the dent on the stairs. They ask Dean what happened and he explains how she fell down the stairs.

"She saves a polar bear, but nearly drowns in the process." Bobby says he puts groceries away. Sam and Dean just shrug all of them in the kitchen at this point.

"What are we gonna do with her; she gets more reckless by the day. Last week it's a polar bear, tomorrow it could be a puppy in the street." Sam says in frustration.

"I freaking hate this shit!" The men hear Steff hiss quietly from upstairs as they catch her trying to sneak out a window, but seeing as vertigo's a bitch, and she still has next to no strength. So much so that she can't even lift the window up quietly.

"Really Steff." Dean comments with disappointment as he walks over to Steff and guides her back to the bed.

"Force of habit." Steff apologizes as she tries to focus on Dean's faces for some reason there was three of them.

"Yeah believe me, we know." Sam says with frustrated glare.

"Sammy you shouldn't glare like that its gonna get stuck." Steff says as she leans on Dean whose sitting next to her.

"Oh bite me." Sam comments lightening up a little.

"Oooo kinky Sam… although I don't usually bite that's Lucifer, but for you Sam I will make an exception." Steff jokes as she raises her eyebrows attempting to be seductive. Which sets Dean and Sam into a fit of laughter.

"She has awoken." Castiel comments snidely as he suddenly appears in the doorframe.

"Hey grumpy wings." Steff says with a mock pout and at this point her brothers have begun laughing harder. Castiel ignoring the comment and laughter walks over to heal her, but he notices her tense. So he approaches her slower as she begins to back away from him on the bed.

"Cas what are you doing?" Steff says as she looks warily at him as he approaches.

"Nothing Steff, I just want to look at your wings, the seal tore them pretty bad." Cas explains slowly putting his hands up in an attempt to calm her.

"No you stay over there grumpy." Steff commands as she backs into a corner. "Where's Lucifer he can check them."

"He is busy. Now calm down and just let me look. I just wanna look, I promise I won't touch unless I have to okay." Castiel says gently as you would to a frightened child.

"Very well." Steff resigns as she turns around so he can look and she is shaking so Dean pats her shoulder reassuringly. Cas smiles as he notices her wings relax as he touches them quickly shooting his grace into her wings so they can finish healing.

"Dammit Cas! You promised!" Steff shouts tearfully as she jumps away from all of them as she turns into a house cat, and crawls under the bed away from all of them.

"I'm sorry, but your wings are fully healed now." Cas says as he drags her out from under the bed by the scruff of her neck even as she bites him.

"Steff I thought you weren't a biter." Sam comments with a smile.

"I lied." Steff says as she races out of the room, and runs through the front door into the yard. With the boys hot on her heels she hides in the Impala under the backseat.

"Steff come here now, or I will make you come here." Cas shouts not really in the mood to chase her.

'What Cas?' Steff thinks at him.

'Lucifer is coming to see you later so don't run off, okay.' Cas replies and to which he hears a groan from a human Steff laying in the Impala. Cas walks over to the Impala and opens the door motioning for Steff to come out. Not really in the fighting mood anymore she jumps out, but her foot catches something and she falls flat on her face.

"Ow." Steff says as she picks herself up off the ground while dusting off her clothes.

"So like I was saying Lucifer is coming later and expects you to be here. Otherwise it's my ass so just do me a favor and be here." Cas says trying to persuade Steff to stay.

"Of course I'll stay Cas, I would do anything for you." Steff says with a sickly sweet tone.

"I'm sure you will. Dean, Sam watch her." Cas states with a stoic look and with that he flies up to Heaven. After Cas leaves Steff starts to make her way to the barn to wait for Lucifer.

"Hey where you going Steff?" Sam asks while falling into step next to her.

"Yeah what's the hurry?" Dean questions as he walks on the other side of Steff.

"Guys I'm not gonna run, and if I did I would come back before He showed up." Steff says as she picks up her pace a little. The boy's just nod and stick with her. "My god you treat me like a child." Steff sighs as she changes direction, and heads towards the house. When Steff goes inside, she goes to take a shower and Dean follows her into the bathroom.

"Dean I'm gonna take a shower leave." Steff commands and Dean stays standing by the sink.

"No. I'll stay cause you could easily slip away." Dean says while turning around to give her some privacy. Steff just shakes her head, and uses her powers to transport him outside the bathroom door, locking it in the process.

"Dean I gave Cas my word and I may do a lot of things, but I never go back on my word." Steff says as she makes a quick flight to the cub to make sure it's all right and the cub is fine. After she saves the cub from a huge seal getting bit in the process, but she just ignores the piece of tooth in her side and flies back. Once back she undresses and turns on the water while stepping in, ignoring Dean's threats, and warnings. She lets the hot water wash over her filthy wings. Steff then lathering up her wings and body collectively washing all the dirt off, she then tackles her hair washing out the smell of the ocean and seal spit. Once her hair was good again she steps out of the shower and snapping some new clothes on. She unlocks the door to find Dean tapping his foot angrily. Steff just laughs at how angry he is over nothing, and walks past him shaking the water out of her wings and hair at him.

"Son of a bitch Steff!" Dean growls angrily at her while she just laughs and walks down to the kitchen. When she gets there Bobby gives her a questioning look.

"You know him being a cat fits him perfectly, the man hates water." Steff comments to Bobby with a smile.

"Idjit." Bobby says shaking his head with a smile and goes back to his beer.

7:05 pm

"Hey you want a steak for dinner Bobby?" Steff asks hearing her stomach rumble.

"Hate to break it to you, but being a hunter ain't a paying job. So it's not like I can afford that, but I have some TV diners in the freezer." Bobby offers to her.

"Bobby you forget I'm angel. I have like unlimited powers of creation if I concentrate; so I ask again you feel like steak?" Steff asks while fluffing her feathers out trying to get them to dry quicker.

"Sure kid, I'll go start the grill." Bobby says with a smile while walking out the back door. Steff then flies quickly to the nearest quality butcher shop, which is only two towns over. She picks up four big steaks and the ingredients for a salad knowing Sam would nag them to eat some vegetables. Steff flies the food home then goes back out for some liquor. When she returns this time she has a bottle of good whiskey, not the cheap stuff Bobby buys. These errands only take Steff the equivalent of about ten minutes. So when Bobby walks back into the house he sees the steaks, whiskey, and Steff cutting up vegetables into a big bowl.

"Hey Bobby can you hand me the lettuce on the counter?" Steff asks while cutting the carrots up and placing them in the bowl with the peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and cucumbers.

"Sure, but how did you afford all this?" Bobby questions as he picks up the whiskey noticing it's the good stuff.

"Well let's just say I learned how to earn money back in the days of my youth." Steff says looking at him while giving him a playful smile.

"You didn't, Steff what will the boys say…. Hell what would Lucifer say?" Bobby questions, putting the whiskey down and looking at her in horror.

"What would we say about what?" Sam asks as him and Dean enter the kitchen noticing the food.

"Bobby I meant I was hustling pool awhile back and I just put the money in a bank…Wait what did you think I was doing?" Steff questions trying to figure out what Bobby thought she meant.

"Nothing Steff… I thought you might have stolen this." Bobby lies quickly to them, but the look he gets from Steff implies that she wants to talk to him later about it.

"Me a thief…. yeah I don't think so the guilt would eat me alive." Steff says as she tears up the last of the lettuce, and begins to toss the salad. Sam and Dean just shrug seeing nothing out of the ordinary grab some glasses for the whiskey.

"So woman what's for dinner?" Dean asks joking with Steff.

"Well dick look around, what's it look like?" Steff snaps while cleaning up her mess, and putting the salad in the fridge.

"Alright idjits don't start; Dean why are you all wet?" Bobby says as he notices that Dean looks a little soggy.

"He makes a fantastic wing towel." Steff comments snidely from outside causing Sam to start laughing and Dean just glares at her.

"Idjits." Bobby says with a small smile and joins Steff outside to cook the steaks.

"So what was your real reason for that look?" Steff asks quietly getting right down to business.

"Steff nothing I just misunderstood you." Bobby says as he moves the steaks around the fire.

"Okay I just wanted to make sure you understood I don't do that anymore, especially because I'm loyal Bobby, and I have a husband that I love very much and I know loves me too." Steff says knowing what he had been thinking and turns around to hide her frown from Bobby, who had noticed how her wings had stiffened slightly.

"I know Steff, and I know he loves you too. Even when you run." Bobby says trying to provide comfort to Steff.

"Its not running Bobby…. Tactical fleeing." Steff says quietly while turning around to face Bobby.

"Sure it is Steff." Bobby says with a chuckle. Steff smiles at him and begins to take the steaks off the grill. She and Bobby walk in where Sam and Dean are waiting patiently at the table arguing.

7:42 pm

"Sam I'm pretty sure the only way to kill an angel is to stab it with one of those fancy blades." Dean points out to his brother.

"There has to be another way other than that." Sam argues, knowing everything could be killed in at least in two different ways.

"Actually no there isn't… well unless you count smiting, but only with the lower choire angels cause they're the weakest." Steff says suddenly interrupting the men's argument.

"Why do you two wanna know how to kill angels, and should I be worried about your sister's safety?" Bobby asks as he places the platter on the table while Steff grabs the salad from the fridge.

"No it's just that Sam thinks there is multiple ways to kill angels, and I was just telling him there wasn't." Dean informs Steff and Bobby.

"I see well can you discuss that when I'm not here, it makes me nervous." Steff says as she takes a big bite of her steak; Dean and Sam nod. The group digs into the meal that Steff provided and Bobby cooked. After they get done eating all of them move into the living room while Steff stayed behind to clean up. Dean and Sam settle onto the couch while Bobby sits in his recliner. Once Steff finishes cleaning a few minutes later she walks into the living room with an apple pie, at the smell of the pie Dean opens his eyes.

"Is that what I think it is?" Dean asks excitedly.

"No, it's a dead baby." Steff says sarcastically while slicing everyone a piece, then hands them out.

"Well your dead baby tastes amazing." Dean moans in pleasure while taking another bite.

"Damn girl this pie is fantastic." Bobby praises.

"Steff how come you never made this before?" Sam asks as he finishes his piece with a content sigh.

"Sam, cooking wasn't really one of the skills you guys valued on the road." Steff says as she sits on Dean's armrest.

"Steff I would have so valued this if you made it on the road." Dean mentions as he finishes his pie. Steff just smiles and laughs when Dean pulls her into his lap, giving her a tight hug.

"Dean…. stop…. please." Steff says in between laughs as Dean tickles her.

"Stop what Steff?" Dean says innocently as he keeps tickling her sides.

"Sam… help… Ow, Dean stop please that hurts." Steff says as she gasps in pain.

"Like I'm gonna fall for that Steff." Dean says while he keeps touching her sides. Steff not wanting to hurt Dean, but the pain in her side hurts so much she tries to get away. Dean sees Steff twisting and just holds her down tighter.

"Dean stop I think she's really in pain…wait is that blood?" Sam says as Dean stops tickling Steff, and pulls her up to inspect her side. Only to find a piece of something imbedded into her.

"Someone pull that out please." Steff grunts in pain.

"Yeah give me a minute. Lucifer hey if your not busy we need your help." Sam shouts into the air.

"Sam I was just on my way…. What happened?" Lucifer says in confusion having not felt any pain through the bond until now.

"If I said Dean did it would you believe me?" Steff asks not really wanting to go over what really happened.

"Sweetheart you have more secrets then a demon." Lucifer says with a frown wondering why Steff still felt the need to hide from him.

"It's probably the reason I didn't get picked to be an angel of truth." Steff points out as she gets off the couch, and suddenly rips the tooth out of her side with a painful gasp. The first few seconds were okay as her body started to heal itself, but for some reason the wound was taking its sweet time closing up. Steff just figured it was all the internal damage she had done to herself on accident.

"Steff are you alright?" Lucifer asks while walking over to a wobbly Steff.

"Fine…" Steff trails off as her head starts to swim, and darkness threatens to claim her. "Morning…. Antarctica… bear cub… still safe." Steff tries to explain, but can't as she is suddenly feeling sleepy. So Lucifer just shakes his head at her foolishness and puts her to sleep with his power. Then settles her on the couch with his wings wrapped around her body.

"What was she mumbling about?" Sam questions as he inspects the large tooth thinking about how much it looks like a seal's tooth.

"She went to Antarctica to check on the cub, and apparently got into it again with some walrus or seal." Lucifer says connecting the pieces together.

"Can you shift her into her cat form?" Dean asks Lucifer. Lucifer nods in yes and turns Steff into her kitten form then with a smirk he turns Dean into his cat form too.

"Lucifer really?" Sam groans at him as he notices Dean, who doesn't really care immediately runs over, grabs Steff by the scruff of her tiny neck, and carries her up the stairs to his bed.

"Sam look how adorable your brother and sister are." Lucifer points out as he notices Dean taking her upstairs. Sam can't help, but smile when he notices Dean carrying Steff up the stairs.

"How long?" Bobby asks in a jaded tone.

"As long as I want Bobby." Lucifer says with a sly smile.

"You can't be serious Lucifer." Sam questions angrily.

"Be careful Sam or you might wake up with paws and a tail." Lucifer warns as he disappears. Bobby and Sam just groan in frustration, figuring this has been quite a day they decide to call it a night. Sam heads to his bed and when he gets there he notices Steff and Dean lying on Dean's bed. Dean had buried them, so it made the blankets hide them mostly.

"Night Sam." Dean says quietly while licking Steff's ears.

"Goodnight Dean." Sam says while smiling at his brother's fluffy little body and with that they all fall asleep.

Next morning about 2 am

When Steff awoke groggily the next morning she was cuddling next to a furry body, assuming it was Lucifer she begins to rub her face on the cat's side.

"Morning Luci." Steff purrs seductively as she begins to lick the cat still having yet to even open her eyes fully.

"Steff what are you doing?" Dean's gruff voice jolts Steff fully into awareness and instantly she moves away from him.

"Uhh…sorry wrong cat." Steff stutters out trying to get the seduction out of it.

"Its fine. Now come back here you're warm." Dean whines trying to get the sleep warmed kitten back over to him.

"Why are we cats Dean?" Steff asks not remembering anything after her black out as she crawls back next to Dean's warmth.

"Your mate decided it would be fun to turn us into them. Then threatened Sam if he didn't stop talking." Dean says sleepily.

"Is Sam okay, like still human okay?" Steff asks worried about him and jumps out of Dean's warmth then onto the other bed to find actual Sam sleeping. Steff just sighs in relief and curls up next to his side. Dean having realized Steff was on the move gets up only to find her next to Sam. So he gets up and picks Steff up moving her so he and her can both cuddle into Sam's side. Sam, who felt his furry siblings move over next to him gives them no sign that he is awake, just smiles when they both purr into his side and he lazily begins to stroke Dean's head.

Later about 10 a.m.

Sam awakes to the sound of his siblings hissing at each other from the foot of the bed.

"Dean no!" Steff commands as she tries to get past him.

"Steff you need a bath, now stop struggling." Dean says as he picks the kitten version of Steff up with no trouble at all.

"Dean I'm not a child now let me go!" Steff orders while she squirms in his mouth. Dean ignores her and begins to clean the dirt from Steff's black and indigo fur. Steff figuring she has no choice, but to sit through this relaxes into Dean's licks. Sam who has been watching the whole exchange can't help, but laugh at them.

"You're next chuckles." Steff growls as Dean licks her head soothingly not really noticing what he's doing he licks Steff's stomach. Steff instantly jumps out of his grip and hisses at him.

"What?" Dean asks lazily trying to figure out the reason for alarm.

"A little low there Dean. Don't you think?" Steff spits at him angrily. Sam who had stopped laughing just begins again as he watches his clueless brother, and angry sister hiss at each other.

"Oh shit sorry…. Damn motherly cat instincts." Dean apologizes to Steff. While walking back over to her and licking her stood up fur back down.

"Alright that's enough I'm clean, and this is just getting weird. What is it with you two as animals? Always trying to lick me." Steff mutters as she leaves the bedroom with both her brothers behind her.

"Sweetheart maybe it's because you always smell like Hell to them." Lucifer suggests calmly from the living room couch.

"Turn me back." Steff commands as she rushes over to him.

"Hmmm… no." Lucifer says after thinking for it for a minute

"Yes." Steff growls at him while jumping onto his lap, digging her tiny claws into his leg.

"Oh I love it when you get kinky Steff." Lucifer comments as he picks her up in his hands. Steff just huffs while she tries to jump away, but Lucifer uses his powers to hold her down and starts to stroke her ruffled fur.

"Morning Star do you remember the promise I made to you when we first met?" Steff asks while biting at his hands.

"So vicious this morning, and no I don't recall… Was it to love me forever?" Lucifer asks with a smirk.

"No it was to kill you, and I always keep my promises." Steff warns as she suddenly stops fighting him and just accepts the petting.

"I look forward to it Sweetheart, just remember I bite harder." Lucifer says as he turns into a cat holding Steff by the scruff.

"Believe me I know, remember that…." Steff starts, but is interrupted by a glare from Dean.

"So when am I not gonna be a cat Lucifer?" Dean questions while he licks his chest fur.

"When I feel like turning you and Steff back. However you'll probably turn back sooner because I don't have to worry about you drowning when you save polar bears in Antarctica." Lucifer says while dropping Steff onto the ground where she immediately scurries over to Sam.

"Don't drag me into this." Sam says as he puts Steff back on the ground and picks up Dean, who he starts to pet.

"That's nice Sam." Dean purrs into his lap, pushing his head into the hand for attention. Sam just chuckles and obliges his brother, no one notices as Steff quietly escapes down the stairs.

"Sweetheart where'd you go?" Lucifer asks while wearing a playful smile. He leaves the living room while walking into the kitchen, but not seeing her. So he heads outside to the barn, but he can't find her there either; seeing no other way he uses the bond to figure out that she was downstairs.

"Found you!" He says playfully as he appears next to her.

"Fantastic." Steff says sarcastically while stretching her legs.

"I missed you." Lucifer says lovingly, at this Steff freezes and slowly turns to face him.

"You did?" Steff questions as she looks into his eyes for reassurance.

"Of course I did, why wouldn't I? You do know that I'll love you for eternity right." Lucifer says with a sincere tone.

"I was so worried that you wouldn't…or you didn't." Steff rambles to Lucifer who just tilts his head and smiles at her.

"Bonds are forever remember, Zakiel and Marchosias are back together. They are currently living as snow leopards in the Himalayans." Lucifer says with a smile.

"Really…. I guess love is eternal." Steff says as she walks over to Lucifer.

"Yeah its kinda like bad luck, it follows you everywhere." Lucifer says with a smile as he turns back into a human and picks up kitten Steff.

"Did you really just compare love to bad luck?" Steff asks as she squirms out of Lucifer's grip and onto the floor.

"Hey come back here." Lucifer says as he leans down to pick up Steff, but she dodges his hand and crawls under the bed.

"Missed me Luci." Steff responds playfully from under the bed.

"Yes and you know what that means?" Lucifer asks as he picks Steff up.

"No, what?" Steff asks as she relaxes into Lucifer's hand.

"This." Lucifer says as he turns Steff back into a person and kisses her. Steff just smiles into the kiss as she kisses back harder, rougher. "Eager aren't we?".

"Shut up and kiss me." Steff says as she bites his lip drawing blood and lapping it away.

"Lets take this somewhere a little more private." Lucifer suggests as he flies them both to his house in Hell never breaking contact with Steffs lips. He manages to get both of them on the bed where they have passionate make up sex.

A couple hours later

"Lucifer." Steff whispers quietly as she turns to face him trying to see if he's still awake.

"Hmm." Lucifer mumbles sleepily into the pillow as he lies on his stomach.

"How do you feel about children?" Steff asks quietly trying to gauge his reaction. Lucifer who had been sleepy is suddenly very awake.

"Children…umm…" Lucifer says as he sits up to look at Steff, noticing his uneasiness Steff rolls over so her back is to him.

"I was just kidding… Forget I said anything." Steff says with disappointment while she pulls the covers up. Lucifer sighs heavily and puts his arms around her while planting feather light kisses along her collarbone.

"I have never really thought about children before Sweetheart." Lucifer says in between kisses as he rolls them over so he's on top of her.

"Lucifer it's fine… Seriously forget I said anything…. It was stupid to mention it." Steff says as she turns her head so she isn't looking him in the eyes.

"Sweetheart… I would love to have children." Lucifer says with a smile as he kisses behind her ear. Steff instantly brightens and rolls them over so she is on top of him and she straddles his hips.

"Really… cause there is no changing your mind." Steff warns him making sure he knows what he is getting into.

"Of course…. But you also means that when you get mad you can't run away from us." Lucifer replies back. Steff just smiles and begins to kiss her way down his stomach.

"I don't run Morning Star." Steff replies stopping at his navel at tracing the lines of his abs with her tongue.

"Oh right… I forgot you call it tactical fleeing." Lucifer says playfully, pulling her up, and rolling them over so he is back on top.

"Plus I could never ever truly leave you anyways, we're bonded remember. I'm drawn to you and you're drawn to me so eventually you'd find me anyways." Steff points out with a smile moaning when Lucifer kisses his way down her chest.

"So your ready to be a mom right? Got all the crazy adventures out of your system." Lucifer comments in between kisses.

"Never, but I can subdue them for awhile." Steff comments with a smirk.

"Alright then lets have some children." Lucifer says with as he pulls her into a kiss having sex for the second time that night.


	22. Make an Assumption, I dare you

Steff's pregnancy took about a total of six months. The first few months were okay Lucifer understood pregnancy was difficult, and Xaphan's mate had been pregnant before the fall. However she and the child had died in birth. So he knew simple things to make Steff more comfortable.

Six Months later

"I'm going out." Steff shouts to Lucifer who was in the shower.

"Okay Sweetheart, but wait for me. I am almost done." Lucifer replies back nervous about letting Steff go out on her own. It had been six months, and Xaphan had said she was due any day. Steff doesn't feel like waiting plus she is only going to the stables like ten minutes from their house. So Steff quietly leaves the house, and walks down to the stables to visit the Nightmaric steed Lucifer had gotten her when she was younger. Steff's Nightmaric steed was a black Friesian stallion with a mane laced with silver. The stallion had a lightning bolt design on his face, that started at his forelock and ended just below his eyes about four inches in total length. His name was Sky Ranger: his attitude was a lot like Steff's; he enjoyed his riders company, but no one else's really except his mate Starlight.

"Sky you in here?" Steff asks looking around the stable seeing Lucifer's steed Starlight, but not hers. "Starlight you seen Sky I can't seem to find him at all." Steff says as she clips a lead onto Starlight's blue halter. Starlight is a pure white Thoroughbred with a black crescent moon on her forelock with black streaks through her mane, and tail. She was a sweet, easygoing mare the complete opposite of Sky Ranger.

"Steff where is Lucifer? You shouldn't be here alone especially this close to your due date." Star whinnies at Steff as she leads her out into the pasture.

"You worry too much Starlight. I feel fine, and Lucifer should be here soon anyways." Steff responds to her petting her neck in comfort. "Now where is Sky at?" Steff wonders as she looks around only to see two foals in the northwest corner of the pasture. She then spots Sky next to them telling them something before they spot Steff and begin to trot over.

"Steff it's wonderful to see you." Sky says as he ushers the foals over to them. Steff smiles at the foals and notices how much they look like Sky and Star.

"Are they yours?" Steff asks the proud steeds.

"Yes, this is Midnight Glory." Sky introduces as he gestures with a foreleg to the vibrant black Friesian filly with a black mane and tail laced with midnight blue streaks.

"It is an honor to meet you Steffanie. Father tells me you are a splendid rider." Midnight says while she trots over to Steff with no hesitation in her gait.

"The pleasure is all mine Midnight, and your father is an ornery beast. Once when I was a new rider he bit me when I went to brush his mane." Steff says with a small laugh causing Midnight to whinny in delight.

"Hey its not my fault you were brushing to hard." Sky mutters as his daughter moves back to his side.

"This is Duke of the Shifting Sands." Starlight introduces the shy white thoroughbred with a white mane and tail streaked with cobalt blue.

"Hello Steff." Duke says quietly moving forward warily.

"Afternoon Duke of the Shifting Sands." Steff responds gently not to spook the colt.

"You can call me Duke." Duke says to Steff politely as he walks over to get a closer view of the pregnant angel.

"Sure thing Duke; it was lovely to meet you guys, but I need to talk to your father for a minute." Steff says to the foals. Starlight sensing Steff needs to talk to Sky alone takes the foals to a far corner of the pasture.

"Steff what did you need?" Sky asks Steff showing concern for his pregnant rider.

"Sky I was wondering if you and your family would be willing to take on the child I have if he or she are ever interested with riding." Steff says knowing that this is a big thing to ask of her steed. Sky just snorts at her silliness.

"Of course we would, I would rather have your child then some random angel's kid." Sky answers as he walks over to Steff. She smiles at him, but right as she is about to say something her water breaks.

"Ahh." Steff shouts as pain courses through her lower body.

"Steff what's wrong?" Sky asks even though he knows what the problem is.

"Water…. Baby coming…Lucifer." Steff says in between gasps of pain.

"Star call him!" Sky neighs at his mate from across the field. Star and the foals come rushing over to Steff who is leaning heavily against Sky Ranger's body.

"Lucifer come quickly!" Star shouts as she gallops through the barn and to house. Star finds Lucifer just coming out of the house. Lucifer sensing something is wrong looks at his steed in confusion.

"What's happened?" Lucifer asks the flustered horse.

"Steff's gone into labor in the pasture. Sky Ranger and the foals are with her." Star says as Lucifer rides Starlight into the field straight to Steff. When he gets there he sees Steff leaned against Sky who has lain down so Steff could lean against his side for support.

"Sweetheart how are you doing?" Lucifer asks dismounting from Starlight and kneeling next to Steff.

"How the fuck do you think I'm doing Lucifer…. God how stupid are you." Steff says in between contractions.

"Alright I suppose that was a bad question, but I need to get you back to the house." Lucifer says as he goes to pick up Steff, but she screams as he goes to touch her, "Or maybe not."

"Lucifer this hurts worse than the time I broke my wings. Why?" Steff comments as she gasps out in pain, "Did you call Xaphan?".

"Because my father is a sadistic bastard, and Xaphan is waiting at the house," Lucifer says while gently picking her up, "Come on lets go." He says as he flies her back into the house where Xaphan is waiting in the guestroom. When Lucifer gets there he puts Steff on the bed as Xaphan begins to instruct her to push, and she does after about a half an hour later she pushes out a baby girl.

"It's a girl Steff." Xaphan says cheerily as he cleans her and wraps her in a blanket then hands her to Steff. She looks down at the little baby girl and smiles. The baby girl already has a head full of red hair waves just likes Steffs. Then for some unknown reason Steff can see a keshet or rainbow outside of the guest room window; she can't help, but remember the time that Wyatt had called her that.

"Violet… Lucifer her name is Violet." Steff says in exhaustion and is about to fall asleep, but she feels something else coming so she hands Violet to Lucifer quickly. "Xaphan there is something else."

"Yes it appears so." Xaphan states turning back to Steff noticing the head. "Steff just one more push." Steff does as he says and with a final yell a baby boy makes his appearance. So Xaphan cleans and wraps him up then hands him to Steff. Steff who is utterly exhausted hands the baby boy back to Xaphan.

"Seth." Steff whispers as she falls asleep; Lucifer just smiles at his sleepy mate and covers her up while he takes Violet and Seth to the room him and Steff set up for them.

"Lucifer you do know that by the time she wakes up the kids will have already aged to be about four. Angelic children grow rapidly in the next two or three days and they will grow to be at least ten in two weeks." Xaphan explains to him.

"I know Xaphan, however I never thought it would be two of them." Lucifer says as he lays Violet and then Seth down in the crib.

"Good now I am going to go to Samael. He and I have business to attend to." Xaphan says as he disappears leaving Lucifer and his kids alone. Lucifer smiles at his rapidly growing children. Violet looks just like her mother with her ice blue eyes and wavy red hair. Then he looks at Seth who looks a lot like him with his dirty blond hair, but shares the same colored eyes as his sister and mother.

Three months later

(Violet and Seth are about 15)

Seth and Violet grew rapidly in the first months they learned to talk, walk, ride horses, fly, and smite. Violet had taken to shy little Duke, and Seth had taken to energetic Midnight. Nightmaric steeds grow quickly just like angelic children. Plus the children's wings had come in.

"Mom, Seth won't let me watch The Lion King." Violet shouts as she tries to wrestle the remote away from her brother.

"Seth give your sister the remote." Lucifer commands as he walks into the living room.

"But Dad this movie is stupid, plus she has seen it before." Seth groans to him.

"Yeah Seth give me the remote." Violet taunts.

"Violet don't tease your brother or you won't go meet Uncle Sam and Uncle Dean next week." Steff warns her as she grabs the remote from Seth, and changes it to X-Men then disappears. Both teens stop arguing and settle down onto the couch, not noticing their mother's disappearance.

"Violet how are the wings today?" Lucifer asks his little girl while he inspects them.

"Dad their fine." Violet answers while watching the movie.

"Good. Seth how about you buddy?" Lucifer asks looking over to Seth.

"The feathers at the bottom itch, but other than that they're fine." Seth says as he turns to look at his father.

"Here I'll unknot them for you." Lucifer says as he untangles the feathers for his son.

"Thanks Dad." Seth says with a smile turning back to the movie.

"No problem, hey have either of you seen your mother?" Lucifer asks wondering where she could have gotten off to now.

"Mom!" The teens shout at once but receive no answer, then turn to their father with a worried look.

"Sweetheart where are you?" Lucifer says as he leaves the room with the kids behind him. They search the house but can't find her.

"Dad where's Mom?" Violet asks worriedly after searching outside for her.

"I'm sure she's around Vi, no need to worry." Lucifer says trying to comfort his children. He ushers the kids back inside and goes to make dinner.

A few hours later

Steff had left to go tell Michael and Cas about her kids. They had got caught up in the conversation and when the sun had set. Steff said she needed to go back, but promised to bring Violet and Seth to Heaven to see them. So she flies back down to Hell to find Lucifer sitting on the porch face full of worry.

"Where have you been?" Lucifer shouts at her.

"In Heaven with Cas and Michael." Steff answers trying to calm him down so he doesn't wake the kids.

"You could have fucking told me… We looked everywhere for you, the kids and I were worried sick… I should have known this was gonna happen…. you always do this to me every fucking time." Lucifer shouts angrily at Steff who just balks at him in confusion.

"Lucifer I have been gone for like six hours chill, and as for you and the kids. I told you I was gonna be gone for a few hours…. why were you so quick to believe I was running away?" Steff yells back at him pissed that he would think she would abandon her children.

"I…well…its just..." Lucifer trails off feeling ashamed for jumping to conclusions remembering how Steff had told him earlier about her plans to go to Heaven.

"I'm taking the kids for awhile… Join us when you aren't such an ass." Steff says bitterly as she storms upstairs, then into Violet's room.

"Vi, pack a bag I'm taking you and Seth up to meet your Uncles and Grandpa." Steff says gently to Violet who nods groggily, and begins to pack. Steff then goes to Seth's room to find him sitting on his bed with a bag packed and looking sad.

"Seth, honey what's wrong?" Steff asks while walking over to him.

"Nothing Mom… I…uhh just stubbed a wing on the doorway. I'm fine." Seth says trying to hide his frown.

"I see, well I just want you to know that I love your father very much." Steff explains to Seth while she hugs him. Seth hugs her back.

"Is Dad coming with us?" Violet asks with a bag on her shoulder as she enters the room.

"I don't think so Vi, at least not yet he has business to attend to. So you guys ready to go meet our family?" Steff asks cheerily trying to change the subject.


	23. Grandpa Bobby, Uncle Sammy, and Uncle Dean

Steff and her kids fly up to Bobby's junkyard. Since the kids have never been to Earth she gives them a few minutes to adjust.

"Mom where are we?" Seth asks while looking around, eyes full of excitement.

"Sioux Falls, South Dakota or better known as Grandpa Bobby's house. This is where I spent most of my time after I escaped Hell, but before then I used to live in a car. So in the long run Bobby's was probably a better place." Steff finishes as she leads them up to the front door of Bobby's house. She knocks on the door and waits for Bobby to answer it.

"Steff how have you been and who are these two? More angels to train." Bobby asks while he looks the teens over, but notices how much like Steff and Lucifer they look.

"Nope, Bobby this is Seth and Violet. These are my kids also the reason why I have been gone for so long." Steff answers with a smile as she gestures to her children.

"So these are your children." Bobby says with surprise in his voice, "Wait you have only been gone for like nine months. How do you have full grown children?"

"Angelic children grow very quickly. Seth and Violet are about fifteen in human years." Steff explains to Bobby.

"Bobby who's at the door?" They hear from inside the house.

"Dean, Sam is that you?" Steff asks as Bobby ushers them into the house.

"Steff good to see you. How's our favorite sister been? Hey where's Lucifer and who are these two?" Dean asks as he hugs Steff, and looks at the two angelic children while Sam wanders in to see what the commotion is.

"Meet your niece and nephew; Sam, Dean this is Violet and Seth." Steff says as she introduces her daughter and son to her brothers.

"Hello." The teens say politely.

"Steff it's only been nine months, and these kids are already at least fifteen." Dean exclaims loudly.

"Uncle Dean why do you talk so loud?" Seth asks quietly.

"Seth even I haven't figured that out, and I have been living with him for thirty three years." Sam responds with a smile to the young angel with white wings streaked with cobalt blue.

"Sam shut up! It's not like your any better." Dean shouts at Sam.

"Uncle Sam you seem like such a nerd." Violet says as she fluffs out her wings with boredom.

"I like her." Dean says in response to the girl with black wings tinted midnight blue.

"Violet don't be mean to Sam. Dean don't encourage her, or I will turn you into a cat." Steff says while she tells her kids to go read a book in the living room.

"When's Dad coming Mom?" Violet asks from the living room floor.

"I don't know Vi." Steff says with a sigh as she watches the kids looking at the lore books on the living room floor.

"Running from Lucifer again are we?" Dean teases and at this point Steff's done so she turns Dean into a cat.

"Leave Dean before I turn you into a fish." Steff says angrily and Dean realizes she isn't in the mood, so he decides to take her advice, and goes to find Seth and Violet. After watching him leave Sam and Bobby wait for Steff to tell them what's wrong.

"So you gonna tell us, or just be broody?" Bobby asks while he grabs some beers from the fridge and hands them out. Steff accepts the beer and takes a long swig taking time to gather her thoughts.

"He thought I would leave them." Steff says with a sad sigh as she gestures to the kids who are now outside with cat Dean.

"Oh." Sam and Bobby say.

"How could he think I could just leave them? My children, my family, and my angels the ones I named and watched grow. That stupid selfish bastard! I'm gonna go rip off his mother fucking wings, and enjoy the cries that come from his broken body." Steff shouts her mood turning from sad to straight up rage.

"Steff if you do that those kids will be fatherless… just like you." Sam points out trying to get her to see reason. As soon as Sam mentions that the anger instantly leaves her face.

"Sam I would never leave my children without their father, unlike that bastard I had." Steff says quietly as she turns away from them to watch her kids and Dean out the kitchen window as Dean chases them around as a cat. She can hear their laughter from inside the house and smiles remembering how Wes used to play with her like tag.

"Well Dad did what was best for everyone, or at least what he thought was right." Sam says while seeing what Steff was looking at.

"Yeah well his best wasn't good enough, but mine will be." Steff says turning to face Sam with determination coming back to her eyes.

"You gonna turn Dean back?" Bobby asks Steff seeing that the fight has been resolved for now.

"No, I'm going to go teach them about transformation. Come on you two." Steff urges as she turns them into animals.

"Steff really." Sam groans as she ushers them outside with the others.

"I'm to old for this." Bobby mutters and Steff gives him a smile.

"Violet, Seth time for a lesson in transformation." Steff says as she approaches them in her lioness form.

"Mom that's pretty sweet." Seth points out as he and his sister walk over.

"Alright now it's your turn. Think cat and channel your grace, imagine turning into a cat." Steff instructs them and watches as Violet turns into a black oceloid cat tinted midnight blue. It takes Seth about a minute to catch up to his sister, but when he does he is a white flame point cat with cobalt tipped ears, tail, and paws.

"Ha I did it before you." Violet gloats over her brother.

"Yeah well I'm still a stronger fighter like Mom." Seth gloats as he pins Violet to the ground.

"Maybe, but at least I don't run away from my problems like she does." Violet spits at him realizing the reason why their father wasn't there. Steff hears this and is about to run, but she doesn't she turns to face Violet, hurt that her daughter would say such a mean thing. Though before she can do anything Seth steps up.

"Its not running Violet, it's called tactical fleeing." Seth answers as he jumps off Violet, and turns back to his mother with an understanding nod. Steff motions for Violet to come over where she whispers something into her ear that makes Violet stiffen.

"I'm sorry Mom, it was the heat of the moment." Violet apologizes as she hums the opening to the song.

"It's alright no harm no foul. Now I think it's been a long day time for bed you two." Steff says as she ushers the kids inside followed by cat Dean, puppy Sam, and cat Bobby.

Steff puts them in the panic room after she turns Dean, Sam, and Bobby back.

"Night guys." Steff says to them as they crawl under the covers.

"Night Mom." Violet and Seth echo as Steff turns the light off and leaves. Once she's gone Seth turns to look at Violet.

"What did she say to you outside?" Seth asks Vi.

"Nothing Seth." Violet says with an authority that reminds Seth of their dad, so he doesn't push it just turns over and to fall asleep as Violet does the same.

"Night Vi." Seth says sleepily.

"Night Seth… Do you think Dad will come back soon?" Violet asks Seth.

"Sure he will Vi he always does, kinda like a bad penny." Seth says comfortingly to Violet. She just smiles at her brother's analogy as they both fall asleep. Steff smiles as her children fall asleep as she wanders upstairs, and outside to see if her weed is still hidden in the same spot.

"Its still here… Well I'll be damned." Steff says as she pulls it out and uses a fire picture of her and Lucifer as cats to light it up.

"We really need to stop meeting like this." Lucifer says as he shows up.

"Look who decided to show up?" Steff says with a puff.

"Sweetheart I'm sorry… I shouldn't have assumed you would leave us." Lucifer apologizes as he closes in the distance between him and Steff.

"Lucifer…I'm sorry too. I should have contacted you when I was late." Steff says with a sigh as she passes the blunt to him. He takes it with a smile and destroys it then tackles Steff to the ground while he kisses her deeply.

"Someone's awfully sorry." Steff teases as she rolls them over so she's on top.

"Yeah well let's just say I know when I'm being jackass." Lucifer says as he leans up to kiss her.

"Since when?" Steff questions with a skeptical look as she meets his lips.

"Right now and you know I never really left you alone." Lucifer says between kisses.

"Yes, you took over your own daughter's mind and made her say that because only you have ever said those exact words to me. Your lucky Seth was so intuitive otherwise I might have killed her." Steff says while she stands up and dusts herself off.

"Sorry it was a dirty trick, and I know you would never hurt her." Lucifer apologizes as he gets off the ground.

"Yeah, so I'm assuming you saw our kids transform?" Steff asks as she creates a fire picture from her memory giving Lucifer a quick recap.

"You are getting very good at that…. You know the reason I never taught you how to do that is because I simply can't do it." Lucifer says while admiring the pictures his mate created.

"It's alright Violet can't do it either. I already tried to teach her and so did Samael, however Seth can do it just not very well." Steff says to him while changing the pictures to Sky Ranger and his family.

"Oh." Lucifer responds knowing what that means.

"What Luci?" Steff inquires.

"It means you were meant to be an angel of fire. Only Angels of Death or the ones of fire can manipulate fire out of its original form. Plus some guardian angels can do it too, but that's really rare." Lucifer says while watching her pictures still.

"Yeah, Xaphan mentioned something like that earlier. What kind of affinities do you think Violet and Seth have?" Steff asks Lucifer as they move towards the barn.

"Seth is a strong fighter like you, and with the training he will be able to wield fire. If I had to guess I would say he is meant to be a warrior or a guardian angel. Based on the way he fights I would say he will probably be like you, especially in ability." Lucifer explains.

"I could see it Lucifer. What about Violet?" Steff asks curious as to her stubborn girls affinity.

"She is a little harder to place a fantastic flyer, but she doesn't fight well. However based on the thunder that rumbles when she gets mad I would say she is a weather angel like Michael and I. They are the ones who control the weather and make rainbows." Lucifer tells Steff who can't help but smile.

"Keshet." Steff mutters.

"What?" Lucifer says as he looks to Steff in confusion.

"It means rainbow in Hebrew. When Violet was born I saw a rainbow and since the heart of the rainbow is violet; I thought the name fit." Steff explains to him.

"Interesting." Lucifer comments knowing only one angel powerful enough to send a rainbow to Hell besides God.

"Yeah I thought so too, but what are you thinking." Steff asks knowing Lucifer is never that short.

"It's just that Michael is a weather angel and an Archangel. The only angel powerful to send a rainbow to Hell, besides our father or I." Lucifer says trying to think of a reason why Michael would send a rainbow to Hell.

"Lucifer why does it matter?" Steff asks as she begins to walk to the barn.

"No reason just curious." Lucifer says as he catches up to her.

"Well I'm going to bed, night." Steff says as she walks into her normal spot to sleep.

"Sweetheart why do you sleep in here?" Lucifer asks as he follows her to the empty stall.

"It's comforting to be alone sometimes…. No other sound, but your own thoughts." Steff tells him as she settles onto the blanket.

"Strange, especially for an angel with abandonment issues." Lucifer says as he too settles down next to her falling into a deep sleep.

"I'm not abandoned if you're with me Lucifer." Steff mutters before she finally falls asleep next to her loving mate.


	24. A Mother's Promise, an Unwelcome Visitor, and Interesting Conclusions

(A month later Seth and Violet about age 17)

The group is still at Bobby's. And Bobby loved having Seth and Violet around, but he really didn't like how teenage disputes caused their powers to flare with their emotions. Bobby had put out twenty-three fires Seth had accidentally created out of anger at his sister. Violet had accidentally created a tornado that took out a couple trees out back when Steff had told her to help her uncles with a case. Steff and Lucifer seeing this decides it might be time for them to journey to Heaven, and find angels to bond with. So Steff explains to the kids what a bond is then she tells the story of how their father and her had bonded.

"Mom you're fierce." Violet responds with respect after hearing the story.

"Yes well it's one of the reasons your father loves me so much." Steff says with a smile as she grooms Seth's wings, meticulously untangling feathers that he had messed up from aerial combat training with Lucifer that morning.

"So when do we leave?" Seth asks eagerly.

"After I finish packing your bags in a minute." Steff replies while she finishes Seth's wings and uses her powers to pack them some clothes then them hands them the bags.

"You guys ready to go?" Cas asks from downstairs eager to get a move on.

"Their coming Cas, give me a minute." Steff shouts to him.

"Have fun guys and mind Uncle Cas." Lucifer says as he walks in the room, and leads the kids down to Castiel.

"Don't worry I shall keep them safe Steff." Cas says as he reassures an uneasy Steff.

"It's Heaven Sweetheart, not much danger there." Lucifer assures her as he wraps his arms around Steff's waist.

"I know its just… they grow up so fast." Steff says teary eyed.

"Mom we'll be fine. Plus if we're not we'll just call you, and you can storm in momma lioness style." Violet says with a smile. Steff just smiles as Cas, Violet, and Seth fly off to Heaven.

"Sweetheart I would love to stick around, but I have to go." Lucifer says a few minutes later as he kisses the top of Steff's head.

"It's fine Lucifer… I'm sure Michael and Cas will take care of them." Steff states as she pulls herself out of Lucifer's embrace, and goes to the kitchen for a drink.

"You could come with me…at least until the boys and Bobby get back later." Lucifer suggests as he follows her.

"No thanks, I think I'm gonna go smite some werewolves that were seen in Montana." Steff answers as she takes a swig of her beer.

"Be safe, and don't put up a barrier against me." Lucifer says finally figuring out how Steff always managed to stop him from using the bond to track her.

"Okay Luci." Steff says with a smile and watches Lucifer go down to Hell. Steff finishes her beer, flies to Montana, and smites the wolves. Then returns back about two hours later to find Sam and Dean on the couch with injuries. Bobby was in the kitchen getting first aid supplies.

"No need Bobby I got this." Steff says as she puts her palm on Dean's shoulder and heals the injuries. Then she does the same for Sam and Bobby.

"Thanks." They all say gratefully.

"No problem. So how did it go?" Steff asks bored now that her mate and kids have left.

"Good we killed the evil son of a bitch, and saved the family from getting mutilated. So I would call it a good day." Dean tells Steff seeing she is still a little mopey.

"Why don't you just go up there?" Sam suggests knowing the kids left today.

"Because they need to do this on their own, and they can't do that with me hovering." Steff admits sadly to them.

"Well…." Bobby starts, but then the doorbell rings.

"I got it." Steff says quickly as she motions for Bobby to sit. She goes to answer the door, and when she opens it she is face to face with none other then John Winchester.

"Hey Steff." John says in a cheery tone.

"You bastard!" Steff shouts angrily as she immediately starts to punch him. John who was taken by surprise has little time to put a guard as Steff beats him mercilessly.

"Steff who was…" Dean trails off as he notices Steff beating their father to a pulp. Dean rushes over there to try and pull Steff off him, but is stopped by the ring of fire Steff put around them.

"Now Steff stop its me John, your father don't you remember me." John says as he dodges the incoming fist.

"Yeah I remember you… The guy who came to see me twice then couldn't be bothered when my mother and brother were gone. So you sent your sons to come clean up the mess." Steff shouts at him angrily landing a kick to his stomach. John goes down, and right before she can deliver the killing blow Lucifer tackles her to the ground while Xaphan extinguishes the fire.

"Sweetheart calm down before you kill him." Lucifer says trying to calm Steff.

"Morning Star let me go, I am gonna kill that son of a bitch." Steff growls angrily as she tries to break free, but Lucifer having come prepared slips a grace cuff onto Steff effectively cutting off her grace. Sam and Bobby hearing the commotion rush out to find Lucifer holding Steff, Xaphan healing John, and Dean standing there in shock.

"Dad is that you?" Sam asks as he rushes over to John.

"Sammy it's good to see you. Dean stop staring at me like I'm a ghost I may be old, but I'm not dead yet." John orders lightly as Dean slowly walks over to him.

"Dad where have you been?" Dean asks as he hugs his father.

"Well first I was hunting Azazel, but the trail went cold so then I went after an Alpha named Derrick. The one who turned Steff's mother and brother, but that trail soon went cold too. So I decided to come and find you to see how you guys were doing." John says as he pulls away and hugs Sam next.

"Oh well I beat you to the last one, and Lucifer beat you to Azazel." Steff says bitterly as she breaks from Lucifer's tight grip, and stalks over to stand next to Bobby.

"What do you mean?" John asks and Steff tells him about how she had to kill her mother and Wes plus the Alpha. "Steff had I known…"

"Shut up. Do you even know what happened to Azazel, or did you just give up on that too?" Steff snaps as she glares at her father.

"Sweetheart." Lucifer warns as he joins her next to Bobby.

"Go to Hell Lucifer!" Steff shouts as she turns into a cat, and runs into the forest leaving a trail of fire behind her.

"Lucifer like the Devil." John says as he reaches for his gun.

"John no need for alarm I'm your daughter's husband." Lucifer says trying to defuse the situation, not realizing he's only making it worse.

"John I think you should come with me so I can explain a few things about Steff." Bobby says as he motions for them all to come inside. Once everyone is settled in the living room the boys, and Bobby begin the long task of explaining everything to John. From what started it all, to how Steff now has kids. After hearing the whole story he looks to Dean and says, "You should have let Sammy die." Everyone is shocked to hear the eldest Winchester admit that, and is about to start arguing when Steff shows back up again.

"You heartless, bastard! How can you say that? This may not have been the life I wanted, but I wouldn't change it at all. I wouldn't change all the near death experiences, the pain, the anger, and most of all I wouldn't change the fact that you were never there. At least in this life I had family that cares no matter what species I am." Steff explains passionately while glaring at her father.

"Steff you always were a freak." John says bitterly as he shoots Steff right in the chest. Dean tackles John only to find out that he was possessed. Steff falls to her knees and laughs.

"Shoulda let me kill him." Steff says right before she blacks out.

Couple hours later

When Steff awakes she's lying down with her head on John's thigh, and he's petting her wings soothingly. Steff instantly jerks away from him and to the other side of the room.

"Steff your awake, thank god." John says thankfully as he approaches his daughter.

"God had nothing to do with it…. Stop right there John." Steff commands and John stops understanding his daughter's reason for distrust. John nods and waits for further instruction.

"I would never tell Dean to leave Sam dead, and I would never call my daughter a freak no matter what." John vows hoping to gain Steff's trust enough to get closer.

Steff eyes him warily, but says nothing as he advances close enough to give her a hug. John just smiles as she allows the contact. The men having heard voices enter the room to find a very stiff Steff accepting Johns hug, but not reciprocating it.

"John let go." Steff orders and he releases her slowly, "So why did you really show up here?"

"The demon wasn't lying about that part. I really just decided to see if you were all still alive." John says to her; Steff uses her power to search his mind and sees that it's the truth.

"I see. Dean, Bobby, Sam I must be going now." Steff says and is about to fly off, but is stopped by Lucifer.

"Sweetheart stay. He's your father after all, and our children's grandfather." Lucifer pleads with her. Steff jerks her wings back, and flies off completely ignoring him.

"Steff come back!" Dean shouts into the air, but Steff doesn't return.

"Dean if she is anything like me she ain't coming back." John says sadly realizing he has caused more problems instead of fixing them.

"Its not really surprising John. You just shot her." Bobby points out.

"Singer you know that wasn't my fault. I was a possessed." John shoots back at him.

"Yeah I'm with Dad on this one not really his fault." Sam agrees, and right after he says that Steff reappears covered in blood and tiny pieces of flesh.

"Sorry about that guys I just had to take care of something." Steff says having calmed down from earlier, "nothing like an old fashioned vampire hunt to clear the mind."

"How many did you hunt?" John asks curiously.

"A coven of about twenty. Should have seen their faces John when just little ole me showed up." Steff comments as she heads upstairs to shower. Sam and Dean just stare open mouthed at Steff's sudden change of heart.

"Are we not gonna talk about this?" Sam asks curiously.

"No Sam it's done. The past is in the past…. I sound like the lion king... I guess that's what having kids does to you." Steff says as she goes to take a shower; everyone just shrugs, and has small talk while Steff takes a shower. When she gets done she crashes onto Dean's bed upstairs feeling very alone. Her kids were gone, her mate was gone, and now she was lying in a bed… alone.

"Surrounded by people… Yet I still feel lonely." Steff remarks quietly, she never hears John walk up the stairs.

"I know the feeling." John replies softly from the doorway. Steff hears John and turns to face her father.

"Yeah I bet you do." Steff says as she turns back around, and lies so she's staring at the ceiling.

"I don't think you understand Steff. What it feels like to lose a wife, your one love to demons." John says as he settles on Sam's bed and gives Steff a hard stare.

"You may have lost a wife, but that doesn't give you the right to do what you did to Sam and Dean. Have you any idea what you did to them?" Steff says accusingly meeting John's glare with her own.

"You don't understand." John states to her angrily.

"Do you know how many times Dean has sacrificed himself for Sam. He sold his soul for him, Dean was going to Hell for Sam." Steff shouts at him.

"But he didn't did he, they found a way out of it." John says not remembering that it was Steff who went in their stead.

"Wow…I can't believe they can call you father… you know what John I'm glad you never came back for me I was way better off with them…. To bad you didn't die in that fire then I would have never been born, and this whole mess would have never happened." Steff says bitterly as she runs out of the house fuming again, throwing up a barrier against anything and everything as she flies down to Hell where Sky Ranger and his family live.

"Steff wait I…" John shouts after he watches her run out.

"What did you say to her now?" Lucifer says angrily as he tries to use the bond to find her, but she had thrown up a barrier against him.

"I don't know… I just said I was glad that Sam and Dean didn't go to Hell." John tells Lucifer.

"Damn idjit! It was Steff who went to Hell in their place, that's how she gained angelic powers in the first place." Bobby shouts at John, who just stares wide-eyed at Bobby.

"So she saved them both from Hell." John says in wonder.

"Yeah she did Dad." Dean says as he glares at his father.

"Dean who do you think you are to judge my choices?" John growls at him.

"Dad that girl you just hurt is my little girl… so you had best think about your next sentence carefully." Dean growls back at him.

"Dean I am your father, you will not talk to me that way." John declares with authority, that makes Dean flinch inwardly and question what he is about to do next.

"Just go." Dean orders as he points to the door, finally standing up to his father. Refusing to let him walk all over him again. Sam just stares at Dean in shock.

"Son you can't order me to do anything I am your father and that girl's father not you." John says with venom as he advances toward Dean.

"Dad stop this isn't helping anything." Sam says while he pulls Dean back to stop him from punching their father.

"Where's Mom?" Seth interrupts suddenly, having found his mate and wanted to tell his mother about her. All the men turn to the teen angel with blank faces not really knowing the answer to that question.

"Seth where's your sister?" Lucifer asks Seth trying to change the subject.

"She's with her new mate, Omniel Dad. He's a weather angel like Violet." Seth says to his father.

"Who are you?" John asks in confusion.

"This is your grandson Seth. Seth this is your mother's father John." Lucifer explains to Seth and John.

"Hello John... Where's Mom, Dad?" Seth questions and right as Lucifer is about to tell him.

"Right here Seth. Sorry I didn't hear you I was outside with Sky Ranger and Midnight." Steff says with a fake smile trying to hide her tears.

"Mom you wouldn't believe it I found a mate, and she is amazing her name is Lilliael. She has gray wings with cyan flecks they are so pretty. Plus she is a guardian angel, and she has this brother named Vernael with dark brown wings with blue tips." Seth explains excitedly as he pauses to take a breath.

"Seth those were the students I taught. I'm glad you and Lilly have hit it off she'll make a lovely mate for you." Steff says as she hugs her boy, "Now tell me about your sister."

"Mom you won't believe it Vi and Omniel bonded, he was the weather angel that created the first rainbow." Seth says with excitement at his sister's newfound happiness.

"Really…. Well if she's happy then I'm happy for her." Steff says as they all exit the house to find Sky and Midnight stomping impatiently.

"Steff when are you going to bring Starlight and Duke up?" Sky asks impatiently now noticing all the men.

"Dad leave her be she has had a rough day. Seth how have you been?" Midnight asks as Seth mounts her back.

"You won't believe it Midnight I found a mate today…" Seth starts to explain while riding Midnight into the forest. Leaving Sky, Steff, Bobby, Dean, Sam, and John watching them ride off.

"Talking horses, angels, and grandchildren… this is definitely been an interesting day." John comments as he looks at Steff as she disappears, and comes back with two more horses.

"I am not a talking horse. I am a Nightmaric Steed for your information John, and from what I have heard about you from my rider… you should be very careful of the next words that leave your mouth, because I will not hesitate to stomp your face in." Sky says threateningly as the large black Friesian stallion walks over to John.

"Well then, Steff I would like to apologize from earlier. I may not have always been there and for that I'm sorry, but I think Dean is right I should just go." John says wondering what Mary would say if she saw Dean and Sam right now. How Dean had stood up to him, and how much Sam had grown up, but most of all about his beautiful daughter even if she was an angel married to Lucifer.

"Goodbye John." Steff says glad that he's leaving, to many bad memories between them for Steff to forgive.

"Bye Dad." Sam and Dean echo and Bobby just nods his head in goodbye. After John leaves Steff walks over to Sky and mounts him.

"Sweetheart get off the steed, we need to talk about this." Lucifer orders while he walks over to them.

"Sky can you still outrun Starlight?" Steff whispers to Sky from his back.

"Yes, Steff are you thinking what I'm thinking." Sky neighs out while stamping his feet in challenge and Starlight glares at him.

"Well if I know you and you know me, then the answer is yes." Steff says as Sky breaks into a full gallop across the junkyard.

"Dammit Steff! Star you in for a chase?" Lucifer asks as he mounts Starlight.

"Lucifer you know how I love a good chase." Starlight says as she whinnies with excitement. Lucifer takes off after Steff and Sky, leaving Duke awkwardly standing there with the other men.

"Would anyone else like a ride? I know for a fact that my mother won't be able to keep up with Sky." Duke says; Bobby and Sam shake their heads in no but Dean steps forward.

"I have never ridden a horse before." Dean informs Duke as he walks over to the large white stallion.

"It's fine you seem like a quick learner you'll figure it out, now pull yourself up." Duke says as he stands still. Dean pulls himself up and settles onto Duke's back while gently clutching his mane. "Oh by the way I'm Duke of the Shifting Sands, but you can call me Duke."

"Dean Winchester, now let's go." Dean says adrenaline coursing through his veins eager to get going. Duke just smiles and starts off at a slow canter until Dean finds his seat, then breaks into a gallop catching up with his mother and Lucifer about a hundred feet behind Sky and Steff.

"Duke who is that?" Starlight asks curiously as she glances to the strange man on her son's back.

"Dean this is my mother Starlight. Mom this is Dean, Steff's brother, or father I'm not really sure." Duke informs as he jumps over a log sending Dean up into the air.

"Brother and Duke warn a guy next time. I'm still kinda new to this." Dean says as he nods his head to Starlight and Lucifer.

"Dean I didn't know you rode." Lucifer says as he watches Dean find his seat again.

"Actually this is my first time, though it feels kinda natural." Dean tells Lucifer as he urges Duke faster. Lucifer laughs as he and Star keep up closing the distance between Sky and Steff.

"Sky I think we need to pick up the pace because if I remember right your son can keep up with you." Steff suggests to Sky and he whickers in response as he picks up the pace leaving those two in the dust. After a few minutes they come to a meadow where they notice Seth mounting Midnight. Sky and Steff breeze past them at full gallop causing the grass to flutter back and forth behind them.

"Where's the fire Mom?" Seth shouts at Steff as he and Midnight keep pace with them.

"Right behind us if they catch me. So lets go Seth." Steff says as Sky picks up the pace.

"Come on Midnight keep pace with me. I know you can especially with Seth." Sky urges his daughter.

"Dad you are no match for Seth and I, even with your rider." Midnight challenges as she pulls ahead. Steff just smiles as they leave both Dean and Lucifer plus their mounts behind. Once they are about five miles ahead of them Steff throws up a barrier so no one can track them, except Lilly if she needs Seth and they stop the horses near a stream so they can drink.

"Sky you still got it." Steff says with a smile as she materializes a cloth to wipe Sky down as Seth does the same for Midnight.

"And it would do you well to remember that." Sky snorts with delight. Steff just smiles as she finishes wiping him down, then she leads him to the stream. Seth and Midnight soon meet them at the stream too.

"So Mom I met Grandpa John today." Seth says quietly and notices how his mother stiffens slightly, and her smile falters.

"How was that Seth?" Steff asks ready to kill John if he said anything bad.

"Fine, but I don't think he likes us very much." Seth says as he scratches behind Midnight's ear.

"Seth you know your father and I love you, and all your uncles love you too including Michael even if he doesn't show it. He's just never been an expressive guy. Plus Grandpa Bobby loves you too so don't let anything John said upset you. The man is a dick." Steff says as she pulls her son into a hug while tears fall from her gritty face.

"Mom why are you crying?" Seth asks concerned for his mother.

"I'm just happy you found your mate Seth. I remember when Lucifer and I first bonded… well that was after I almost beat his face in for not telling me what would happen once I grew my wings." Steff explains to Seth with a smile remembering that day, and how Gabriel had turned her into a kitten.

"Well Dad always said you were a feisty one." Seth comments as he pulls away from his mother slowly, "Mom I think I'm going to go to Heaven to train to be a guardian angel like Balthazar and Uncle Cas."

"Seth if that's what you want to do then go, but before you go let me teach you how to control the fire." Steff says as she creates a picture of Sky and Midnight racing. Seth nods as he produces a fuzzy shape of Midnight eating grass. "Good Seth, very good now concentrate your power." The shape begins to become more defined, and the steeds watch from the stream. "That's it Seth. You can do it, come on almost there." Steff encourages him and with that the picture becomes clear. It was the race from earlier complete with all the steeds and even Dean riding Duke.

"Mom look I did it!" Seth shouts in excitement, and Steff can't help but smile at her son's excitement.

"Seth this is fantastic, but you must be quiet lest Dean and your father find us." Steff says with a playful smile, and Seth just shakes his head.

"Mom you are so weird sometimes. Why would you hide from Dad and Uncle Dean they just want to help?" Seth points out while he lowers the barrier his mother put up.

"Seth Samuel Winchester you raise that barrier back up this instance." Steff scolds her son lightly.

"Mom I'm going back to Grandpa Bobby's, see you in the morning." Seth says as he rides back leaving Steff with a fire picture of her, and Lucifer teaching him and Violet to fly.

"Bye Seth." Steff says loudly and she turns to Sky Ranger who was standing there patiently.

"Shall we go back Steff?" Sky asks as he watches Seth and his daughter head back.

"You can if you want, but I think I'm going to stay here." Steff replies as she settles down by a fallen tree. Sky Ranger just snorts and lies down next to Steff.

"When have I ever left you?" Sky asks while Steff settles against him.

"Never Sky never." Steff says sleepily while laying against his side. Sky just whinnies a laugh and watches as his rider falls asleep on him, like she used to do when she ran from Lucifer in her later months of Hell. When Lucifer had finished turning her angelic, but it was before she escaped with Castiel's help. After Lucifer had introduced the newly grown stallion to her. Steff had rarely ever wanted to be inside, always sneaking down to visit a mischievous young Sky Ranger. More often then not Sky would spirit her away from Lucifer and young Starlight Lucifer's mare. They hadn't known at the time, but they were meant to be mates just like Steff and Lucifer. Starlight would often rat Steff and Sky out to Lucifer much to their disdain, until Steff and Sky had helped Starlight loosen up. Sky Ranger just smiles as he remembers his rider's antics when she would try to run from Lucifer, or her tears when another month went around and she missed her family.

Morning

Lucifer and Dean had given up trying to find Steff and Sky after Seth had found them, and told them what his mother had said. The men figured Sky could keep her safe while she avoided them. So when she showed up in the morning all bruised up and barely hanging onto Sky's mane they were rather surprised.

"Sky what happened?" Starlight asks worriedly while checking her mate for wounds seeing none, but rather many on his rider.

"Foolish girl saved me from a pack of skinwalkers who were wandering the forest. I told her to leave me, but she refused there were too many for any smart angel to fight on her own." Sky explains as he lies down and slides her off onto the ground.

"Dad is she alive?" Midnight says as she trots over to Steff.

"Seth… Midnight is Seth… alright?" Steff asks with a weak voice.

"Mom I'm fine what happened?" Seth says coming out, having heard the commotion outside.

"Thank Michael… I thought… they said…" Steff says as she blacks out. Seth picks up his fallen mother and flies to the house.

"Dad help Mom's hurt!" Seth says as he lies Steff gently down on the couch.

"Seth what…" Lucifer starts but is cut off by the sight of his mate lying limply on the couch.

"Sky said it was a pack of wandering skinwalkers." Seth says as Lucifer rushes over and begins to heal Steff but it isn't working. "Dad why isn't it working?" Seth asks frantically.

"Seth calm down, I need you to fly to Heaven and get Uncle Cas; he can help." Lucifer tells his son calmly and Seth nods as he disappears to Heaven.

In Heaven

When Seth found Cas he was talking to Omniel and Violet in Heaven.

"Uncle Cas! Hurry Mom…injured!" Seth chokes out breathless from the long flight.

"Seth it's nice to see you. How are you?" Cas asks having not heard the boy completely.

"Uncle Cas Mom has been injured and Dad can't heal her for some reason!" Seth shouts at him after he catches his breath. Cas finally hearing the boy nods, and flies him back down to Bobby's house. Omniel and Violet are just left staring at each other.

"Let's go." Violet says as her and Omniel fly down to Bobby's.

Back at Bobby's

"Steff can you hear me?" Cas says as he pulls some feathers to try and wake her. It doesn't work so he tries again pulling harder, "Steff I need you to wake up for me."

"Cas go away I'm trying to die in peace." Steff answers groggily as she struggles to keep her eyes open.

"Mom don't die." Violet blurts out as she rushes to her mother's side with tears in her eyes.

"Vi, I've been through much worse. Your brother, father, and Sky are all just a bunch of wussies who called Cas prematurely." Steff grumbles with a small pause as she manages to pull herself up into the sitting position and continues, "Violet us Winchester women are tough. We protect our families, smite evil, and most of all we never ever under any circumstance call our mates or other angels for help." Steff finishes with a smile as she pulls Violet into a hug.

"Plus you guys make really good pancakes." Sam points out helpfully.

"Thank you Sam because when I'm on my death bed, I really wanted to know was that the pancakes I made you were good." Steff says sarcastically as she turns Violet into a cat and joins her. "Violet follow me quickly and throw up a barrier. I'll show you how I used to hide from your father... and answer your questions." Steff whispers as she and Violet run past the humans and angels.

"Violet get your ass back here or you're grounded!" Lucifer yells as he feels Steff and Violet disappear from his radar. He tries to grab Steff, but she just ducks then rushes through the door.

"Vi, come on your father's just being a dick." Steff says as she and Violet run straight into the junkyard. When Violet and Steff finally stop for a breath Violet notices that they're on the edge of the junkyard. The first thing that catches Violet's eye is the big statue of a lioness, her mate, and her cubs. Violet walks over to the big lioness and notices how the eyes look just like her mothers, then walks over to the lion and notices her father's pale blue eyes. The three cubs eyes remind her of Uncle Dean, Uncle Sam, and her Uncle Michael.

"Mom who are those cubs?" Violet asks while she follows her mother deep into the forest. Steff continues walking contemplating what to tell her daughter about the statue.

"Violet did your father ever tell us the story of how we met?" Steff asks her daughter as she looks under a rock, looking for the weed she hid out here. Ever since Dean and Lucifer found her hiding spot they would destroy hers on sight.

"No Dad… never mentioned it and what are you looking for?" Violet asks as she joins her mother by the rock. Steff makes a small ah ha sound pulling out the prescription bottle.

"Well it was after I had sold my soul for my brothers," Steff says as she turns into a human and lights the blunt then takes a long drag and continues, "See your Uncle Sam had gotten himself killed in a fight with Azazel's men. Dean had sold his soul for Sam's in return for one year, and for the both of them I only got a week."

"What does that have to do with you and Dad meeting?" Violet asks impatiently wondering how long they can avoid her father.

"Violet we can hide here all night without them finding us, and Omniel will be there for awhile especially with both of us gone. So back to what I was telling you, I met your father when I was just fifteen in human years. It was after Crowley had collected my soul for the contract. Crowley brought me in front of your father and back in those days he was looking rough. He was scruffy, had long hair, and the most lifeless look I had ever seen on any living thing… ever. Hell I'd seen dead things more alive then him." Steff recalls sadly remembering that awful day as she takes another puff, and then continues on. "Anyways the first few months were awful in Hell, constant torture as Azazel and Alistair tried to break my soul. The pain was rough, but eventually I just became numb to it and would just taunt demons relentlessly. Telling them how much they sucked at the one job Lucifer had given them. I even made a few of them cry, but that changed after Lucifer decided I would make a good angel and…. well you know the rest of the story." Steff finishes as she puts the butt of the blunt onto the ground, and with the small ember she turns it into the memory of her and Lucifer as he finished turning her angelic. Which then transformed into Lucifer teaching Steff how to smite demons. Violet can't help, but watch mesmerized as the pictures then turn into the first time she met Sky Ranger, then into the fight after Michael and Steff had bonded.

"Mom why did you bond with Uncle Michael in the first place… he practically kidnapped you?" Violet asks having always been curious about her mother's bond with her uncle. Steff doesn't answer at first she just looks Violet in the eye and smiles.

"It was so your father could find forgiveness in his heart like I had for him, and his brother." Steff says and watches as Violet's eyes twinkle with a new found respect for her mother for being so noble.

"Mom…" Violet starts, but can't figure out what to say that would fit the situation so she does something she hasn't done in awhile she hugs her. Steff is a little surprised, but nonetheless hugs her daughter back. Violet pulls back a few minutes later. "Mom I'm going back now, Omniel and I have stuff to do. So I might be gone for awhile he said he was gonna teach me how to use my powers properly." Violet informs her excitedly having never really felt like she belonged in Hell, because she wasn't a good fighter like her mother, father, or even Seth. She couldn't do the fire thing like Seth and her Mom though that didn't bother her much cause neither could her Dad. Steff was reading her daughter's thoughts as Violet went through her abilities.

"Violet, you and Omniel will make a lovely pair. Plus once you get back you can show me the rainbows you learned to create with him. You guys will make the best keshets." Steff says as she smiles lovingly at her daughter.

"Keshet?" Violet asks with a puzzled look on her face.

"It means rainbow in Hebrew." Omniel states finding Steff once she lowered the barrier.

"Omniel if you hurt her I will end you." Steff vows as Violet walks over to Omniel's side.

"I know Steff." Omniel says as he and Violet fly back up to Heaven.


	25. Secrets amongst brothers

"And they say there's a heaven for those who wait, some say its better but I say it ain't." Steff sings loudly while walking back to the house only to be met with a fuming Lucifer and Cas. Plus Sam, Dean, and Bobby were beyond pissed too so Steff does the only thing she can do… sing louder, "I'd rather laugh with the sinners then cry with the saints, the sinners are much more fun." Steff continues singing ignoring the glares while walking in the house.

"An angel's smile is what you sell; you promise me Heaven, then put me through Hell." Lucifer counters pulling her back outside just in case they feel the need to break things.

"Life's a lemon and I want my money back." Steff sings back at him while she raises her eyebrows in challenge.

"We try to lay down the rules, but you were born to refuse. What's the world gonna do with a girl like you?" Lucifer sings at her tweaking the lyrics to fit accepting the challenge.

"This is one of the reasons why I love you Lucifer." Steff states while she walks over to him and pulls him into a hug.

"And I love you too Sweetheart, but I seriously think its time we clip your wings." Lucifer threatens with an unceremoniously creepy smile, which causes Steff to pull away from him.

"What do you mean Luci?" Steff questions as she backs away from her mate. Lucifer just advances toward her menacingly. That's when he throws a punch at her, but Steff jumps out of the way and it only manages to clip her shoulder. "Lucifer stop this." Steff says as she dodges a kick aimed at her head. Meanwhile the boys and Cas are just shocked at the fight going on.

"Sweetheart come here, so I can clip your wings and we can go back down to Hell forever. I promise to bring you up at Christmas." Lucifer says as he punches her in the mouth causing Steff to stagger back, not really in pain just surprise.

"Brother stop, this is not funny." Michael says as he moves to stop Lucifer, but as he does the thing shifts into Gabriel.

"Gabriel what have you done?" Cas says as he walks over to Steff, but as he reaches her. She jumps up and tackles Gabriel to the ground wings flared in anger.

"Where is Lucifer?" Steff growls ferally from on top of Gabriel.

"Steff I'm right…" Lucifer says as he runs over to Steff and Gabriel.

"Gabriel what are you doing here?" Michael barks at his little brother.

"I just wanted to know what Steff learned from our little experiment." Gabriel asks as he disappears then reappears by Steff's wing with a knife. Steff immediately backs away from him and over to Bobby and the boys, standing in front of them protectively.

"Sweetheart what is he talking about?" Lucifer asks curious as to what his brother means. Gabriel looks at Steff with a smile that could curdle milk. Steff knowing exactly what he means meets his stare with a fiery glare of her own.

"Yes Steff tell him." Gabriel urges her to answer. Seeing no other option Steff rushes Gabriel with her blade in hand, but before she can get there Cas and Lucifer grab her.

"You bastard! Touch him again and you die!" Steff shouts threateningly at him while she struggles against the arms holding her.

"Wow Steff you still haven't told them yet…. hmm… I suppose this shouldn't come as a surprise though… you are the angel with the most secrets." Gabriel taunts while he closes the distance between him and Steff. Once Gabriel is about an inch from her face Steff can smell it…the smell of a very powerful binding spell. Instantly Steff stops struggling and looks at Gabriel… she really looks deep into his eyes. Only to notice a ring around his dark brown pupils, a dark red, menacing ring.

"I can help you." Steff says quiet enough so only Gabriel can hear. Gabriel hears her words, but can only blink in response against the spell unable to control his body. So Steff looks into his mind for an answer, it comes out quietly so softly she can barely hear it, 'yes'. She nods her head and proceeds to break the grip holding her then tackles Gabriel to the ground with her hand on his head. Realizing she only has seconds, she breaks the binding quickly and rolls off Gabriel then in a blinding flash of light the binding breaks.

"Huh!" Gabriel says as he draws a deep breath.

"Gabriel!" Lucifer, Michael, and Cas say as they rush to their fallen brother.

"Guys love the attention and all, but I'm fine. Thanks to your lovely angelic lady over there." Gabriel says as he extends a hand to Steff to help her up she accepts it with a smile.

"No biggy Gabriel, it's only fair since you helped me out once upon a time." Steff replies as she dusts herself off and starts to walk off, but is stopped by Michael.

"What did you mean she is the angel with the most secrets?" Michael asks Gabriel, and Lucifer looks a little hurt.

"Michael I was bound to a witch… I did all kind of crazy things, I turned Steff into a kitten and caged her, then I turned Sammy over there into a puppy." Gabriel says and turns to Sam, "Sorry about that Sammy I wasn't able to control it." Sam looks at him and shrugs.

"Steff turns me into a puppy too, and it's Sam." Sam says as he and the rest linger for the impending argument between Steff and the angels.

"So how did the witch bind you?" Michael asks curiously knowing his trickster brother never fell for many tricks, so this one must have been particularly good. Gabriel tries to remember the day the witch had caught him, but it's still fuzzy.

"I was lured into the witch's grasp when I she said she had Cas, and I wasn't gonna take chances. So I stormed in there only to be shoved in a cage, turned into a cat, and then a binding spell put on me. Needless to say it wasn't a good day, but that wasn't even the worst part. The witch forced me to turn an entire town into animals… though it was fun. It wasn't cool when she made me say things… such horrible things." Gabriel says as he dramatically grimaces.

"Gabriel you're so dramatic." Steff says with a laugh while she yawns, and walks into the house. Cas and Lucifer share a look and Cas nods as he follows her into the house. The rest of the men look to Gabriel for information.

"I don't care if you were influenced, or not Gabriel tell me what you meant!" Lucifer demands as he stalks over to his brother.

"Luci, it's not my place to reveal others secrets." Gabriel says cautiously as he backs away from his brother only to back into his other eldest brother Michael.

"No more games Gabe. Tell me now before I have to beat it out of you and believe me, I will." Lucifer threatens as he grabs Gabriel by the shirt collar.

"No I won't do it." Gabriel refuses knowing Steff would be beyond pissed if he told Lucifer her secret.

"Gabriel, tell me now!" Lucifer shouts.

In the House

"Cas I'm gonna take a nap call me if anything important happens." Steff says as she lies down on the large bed in the panic room. Cas waits till he hears Steff's breathing even out signaling sleep before he locks the panic room and places a sigil that forces Steff to stay in the room.

Back outside

Three hours later

Once Cas is done he walks back outside to where Lucifer is still trying to break Gabriel's resistance.

"Damn Lucifer if you do that any harder you might awaken my inner masochist." Gabriel taunts defiantly as he spits blood in Lucifer's face. Lucifer just growls then begins to choke Gabriel and right, as he's about to pass out. Cas comes over and pulls Lucifer off of him.

"Gabriel please just tell us while Steff is detained." Cas pleads with his brother not really looking forward to when Steff wakes up. Gabriel just laughs as he notices Cas' disdain in this entire situation.

"Castiel… Cas, wasn't it Steff who nicknamed you that, and if I remember correctly wasn't it you who had a crush on Lucifer's little angel." Gabriel taunts as he wiggles his eyebrows suggestively at Castiel. Cas just blushes and backs away from Gabriel in embarrassment.

"Cas… really? Well I never…. She would have tore you apart Cas, the girl is an animal." Lucifer says with a small laugh, picturing dominant Steff with a subservient Castiel. Sam and Bobby who were just observing are now laughing at the thought of Steff and Cas. However Dean didn't find it that funny, but he didn't know why.

"It's not funny!" Cas says as he storms off, hurt that his friends and family would laugh at him. It's not his fault Lucifer got to the angel first. Cas had wanted to court the angel properly, but she had been young and attracted to Balthazar's rebellious attitude then to Lucifer's natural charm. So when that didn't work Cas had tried to get her to see Lucifer as influencing her badly, but when he saw how the fight had destroyed the girl. He couldn't bring himself to try anything like that again.

Back in the House

However Cas was now hurt and frustrated so he decides to do something very risky as he storms down to the panic room. He finds Steff pounding on the walls tears streaming down her face in anger.

"LET ME OUT!" Steff shouts against the door and is surprised when Cas opens it she rushes into his arms, "Thanks Cas. I was so afraid Lucifer was gonna leave me in there all night." Cas just smiles and hugs his charge back tightly. Inhaling her scent, it reminds him of a campfire on a cold winter's night. He smoothes her ruffled feathers down comfortingly, and just smiles when Steff cuddles closer to him as she wipes her tears on his coat.

"Steff would you like to go somewhere with me?" Cas asks gently not wanting to pressure her. Steff having had enough problems for one day uses her powers to send Sky and his family home. She then wraps her legs around him so he's carrying her.

"Sure Cas. Where are we going?" Steff asks as she relaxes in her guardian's arms feeling safe as she leans her head on his shoulder her wings tucked tightly into her back. Cas grips her tight and flies to a secluded cave in the Taiga forest in Russia. While on the flight over to the cave, an already exhausted Steff to fell asleep in Cas' comforting grip. Castiel just smiles at his most troublesome charge, so vulnerable looking in his arms as he lays her on the soft blankets he had put on the cave floor. He then throws up a barrier against everyone especially Lucifer and Michael.

"I love you." Cas whispers into Steff's ear as he sits so Steff's head is resting in his lap as he pets her hair softly. Steff snuggles into the touch and mumbles sleepily, "I love you too Cas." Castiel can't help but beam as Steff reciprocates his affections, even if it was just five words mumbled in a sleepy haze.

Back at Bobby's

(After Cas took Steff)

"Fine Lucifer I'm tired of this anyway, if you must know. I was talking about the prophecy that revolves around Steff." Gabriel says in a bored tone after having been going at this for about five hours. It's not that Gabriel couldn't handle Lucifer beating him to a pulp; it just got kind of monotonous after a long time.

"Which one, the one about her ending the world in a blaze of fire if she accepted Samael's proposition, or the one about her over throwing me in Hell?" Lucifer asks having heard most of the prophecies revolving around his mate. Gabriel just shakes his head and laughs, "No the one about how a guardian angel steals Morning Star's mate, sending the world back into darkness and destruction."

"What!" Lucifer says enraged that an angel would dare challenge him.

"That would never happen Steff loves him." Dean argues while Sam and Bobby nod their heads in agreement.

"Really how confident are you in that Lucifer?" Gabriel challenges as he separates from his brothers and feels for Castiel smirking, as he finds neither him nor Steff.

"What's so funny?" Lucifer growls out noticing Starlight, and her family have gone back to Hell.

"Luci… Luci… Luci really you can't tell me you haven't noticed some persons missing." Gabriel tells him as he gestures around the yard.

"Brother stop with all of this and speak plainly." Michael says as he stomps his foot impatiently.

"Cas, Steff where are you?" Sam shouts into the house, but hears nothing.

"I knew I liked Sammy-boy for a reason, always a thinker." Gabriel says with a smile as Lucifer and Michael rush into the house finding nothing, but a single black feather edged in white only belonging to one angel.

"CASTIEL!" Lucifer shouts angrily.

"Lucifer calm down, maybe they went to Heaven I will check." Michael says as he scours Heaven for her and Castiel. However he finds nothing, but her children and their mates.

"I will skin him alive when I find him." Lucifer swears to the men as he storms back out of the house.

"Let me get this straight your brother a guardian angel, stole my sister from you the great and powerful Lucifer." Dean says making sure he's got it right.

"Yep that about sums it up Dean-o." Gabriel says as he walks over to Sam and turns into a small brown tabby cat.

"Why do you guys always come to me to get petted?" Sam questions as he picks up the small cat in his arms and begins to stroke his fur softly.

"Cause your good at it." Gabriel purrs into Sam's arms causing Sam to smile.

"Stop stroking the angel ya idjit, and help us figure out how to find your sister before Lucifer blows up Hawaii." Bobby grumbles at him with a small smile. Sam and Dean follow Bobby into the house where they try a tracking spell, but come up with nothing.

"Gabriel how can Castiel hide from us so well?" Sam asks as he strokes the purring cat.

"Castiel is fantastic at hiding a lot like Steff, both only found when they wanna to be." Gabriel responds with a hearty purr.

"Dammit!" The boys hear from outside as they watch the statue Steff made melt into a lioness locked in a cage alone and mutters possessively, "mine."

"If it's any consolation at least she's safe with Cas. He would never hurt her and in fact she will probably show up soon." Gabriel offers his angry brother. Lucifer seeing that his brother is just trying to help calms down slightly, turning the statue back to its beautiful form instead of the oppressive one.

"She will come back she always does, like a bad penny." Dean blurts out not sure why he just said that.

"If she's one thing, it's loyal." Gabriel comments and disappears to check some places where his brother might have gone.

Steff and Cas in Russia

When Steff awakes she finds herself in a pitch-black cave with her head on someone's lap. She immediately jerks up and moves away from the man. Steff moves towards the light at the far end of the cave, and almost reaches it but a chain stops her. Steff struggles against the chain; she turns into a cat thinking she can slip out, but the chain just forms around her neck. At this Cas wakes up having felt Steff move off of his lap, and finds her as a cat fighting the chain near the entrance of the cave.

"Cas, thank Michael you're here! One minute I was hugging you in the panic room then the next I'm here. Come on let's get out of here." Steff urges as she turns back into a human and gestures to the chain on her ankle.

"Steff why would I do that?" Cas asks, curious as to why Steff would want to leave him so soon.

"Cas I need to leave, Lucifer must be worried sick." Steff says as her face contorts in confusion at Cas' curiosity.

"Steff do you love me?" Cas asks trying to see if she remembers any of last night.

"Cas…of course I love you, now let me out." Steff orders as she walks over to Cas. He just smiles, and takes the chain off Steff. As soon as the chain is released Steff flies for the opening, but when she does she flies into what feels like a brick wall. Now Steff being Steff never gives up on the first try, so she stands up slightly dazed but tries again. She gets the same results, but still refuses to believe that this is the same caring Cas. However after a few more hits she collapses onto the ground tired and in pain while crying silent tears of frustration.

"Why are you crying I love you and I will never hurt you?" Cas asks as he goes to hug Steff, but she flinches away from him and he slaps her. "Stop this Steff, I love you and you're in no danger from me." Steff can't believe this is happening, and just sits there with a stunned stare. Cas hugs her again and this time Steff punches him in the stomach. He immediately grabs Steff's wrist and pins them above her head. "I am only going to say this one more time Steffanie Marie Winchester. I love you so stop this charade I know you love me too, you said so last night." Cas says as he firmly pins Steff against the cave wall.

"Cas stop, please that hurts." Steff whimpers in pain as she pulls against his tight grip.

"Stop trying to escape and I will release you." Cas orders and Steff gives one last twist trying to break out, but when she sees the conviction in Cas' eyes. She realizes he means business and just lies there. "Good girl." He says as he goes to kiss Steff, but she just turns her head away as he begins to kiss along her neck gently.

"Please just let me go Cas. My mate is Lucifer and I have two children from him, Violet and Seth and I love them all very much. Please stop this, I love my mate." Steff rambles desperately trying to convince Castiel to stop before it goes to far. Cas stops kissing her and carries her over to the bed he made on the ground.

"But I'm the one who has saved you. I have been saving you since you were born: when the nurse in the hospital was a demon, or the pedophile down the street at your childhood home. Then there was the rapist who lingered near the vending machines at some seedy motel your brothers had left you at while they were on a hunt. I have loved you and saved you from your so-called 'mate' many times, or do you forget the time when you were stuck in Hell. I love you Steff with all my being, I love you more than you can ever know. I love how angry you become when Dean babies you, or how protective of Sammy you are. I love how you twitch your nose in confusion, or how your wings puff out in times of danger. I love how much you care for your children and your steed Sky Ranger, and I love how you sacrifice so much for everyone else… I love everything about you Steff can't you see that?" Cas explains passionately as he lays Steff onto the bed gently. Once Cas let's go of her Steff jumps off and scrambles over to the other side of the cave.

"Well the Cas I love would never have done this." Steff says bitterly as she curls up against the cave wall away from Cas. Hearing this Cas begins to have doubt about his actions.

Next Day Early Afternoon

"Cas I wanna go home!" Steff yells angrily at her delirious guardian angel.

"Steff why don't you want to be with me?" Cas asks getting closer to the angel.

"Come any closer, and I will gut you." Steff warns as she pulls the knife from her boots.

"You will do nothing of the sort." Cas declares as he advances toward Steff. He makes a quick grab for the knife, but doesn't get it. Cas then grabs Steff's wrist, and pins them behind her wings. Steff drops the knife in shock and he smiles picking it up then running the blade along the arches on her wings.

"Stop Castiel I don't want this." Steff says as she flares out all four of her black wings in anger as an attempt to hit him.

"You're adorable when you're angry." Cas says lovingly as he dodges the wings.

"Fuck you Cas." Steff growls then turns into a cat and flees from him. Cas turns into a cat and follows her right, as he is about to say something Steff interrupts, "Either let me go or fuck off."

"Why don't you love me anymore Sophiel?" Cas shouts at her in frustration as he pounces on her and pins her down.

"Cas get it through your thick angelic skull. I LOVE LUCIFER!" Steff shouts as she kicks him off. It suddenly hits Cas like a smack in the face at the name he just called her.

"What have I done? Steff I'm so…." Cas starts to say in horror as he backs away from his friend.

"Wait Sophiel… who's Sophiel?" Steff asks in confusion as she realizes what he just called her as she walks over to Cas.

"Steff… I'm so sorry… I don't know what came over me." Cas apologizes heartily. Steff searches his eyes for signs of deceit, but only sees regret. She realizes he's truly sorry and since she wasn't hurt just really creeped out. However now she is a little worried about Cas as she pulls the shaking angel into a hug.

"Cas what happened to Sophiel?" Steff asks softly while she hugs him harder.

"Sophiel was my mate an angel of fire much like you… We were together for about a fifty years before Lucifer was cast from Heaven. Sophiel and I had been fighting the day she died. I had agreed with Lucifer's ideals, while she didn't so we had gone on and on arguing the days before the big fight. When finally it came time for Lucifer's group to rebel, a huge fight broke out… many good angels died that day including Sophiel. Lucifer struck down Sophiel while she was trying to save her younger brothers from him. By the time I got there she was to injured for me to heal, and that day she died in my arms." Cas explains to Steff mournfully, not knowing what else to do she just hugs him harder.

"Cas…I'm so very sorry." Steff says to him remembering how ruthless her Lucifer used to be and still could be.

"Steff its not your fault it's… you just remind me of her sometimes. She was so independent and she had brothers like you who she would protect at all risks… such a fiery angel she was fierce, beautiful, and most of all caring." Cas reminisces as he pulls from Steff's grip.

"Cas I'm sorry, but I... I can't love you like Sophiel. I love you like a brother, heck my kids even call you Uncle Cas." Steff says to him apologetically as she gives him a sympathetic look, and then rubs his wings in comfort.

"Steff I shall lower the barrier now, so you can go." Cas replies with sad smile and lowers the barrier. Steff just shakes her at him and makes no move to leave without him.

"Cas what kind of friend would I be if I left you like this... I mean even if you did try to kidnap me, and force me to… I don't even wanna know where you were going with that act back there." Steff says as she grabs him by the shoulder, and pulls him into her embrace wrapping her wings around him.

"Steff I think you should go back... alone." Cas suggests not looking forward to Lucifer's wrath as he pulls from her grip.

"Nah they know I'm with you… so we should be okay for awhile." Steff says as she walks into the cold forest, and watches as the snow falls gently from the sky. As she sits down on the forest floor she pats the ground next to her in a gesture for Cas to sit too.

"Do you think they'll be angry?" Cas asks quietly as he settles down on the snowy ground next to Steff in the forest. Steff just shrugs and lays her head on Cas' shoulder.

"Most likely fuming, but I'll say there was a polar bear stuck in the ocean again." Steff says with a sly smile. Cas just chuckles, and puts his arm around his empathetic charge she just smiles and sighs heavily while leaning onto his shoulder.

"You truly are an angel, you know that." Cas whispers into her ear as he brushes hair back over her ear gently.

"No Cas I'm not. I'm a mother, a very impulsive mate, and a huntress… but definitely not an angel." Steff says as she watches the snow, fall gracefully from the sky as she drifts off to sleep. She creates a picture of her, and Cas when he had first taken her to Heaven. Then she shows him one of when he had given her the boots for her birthday, which causes him to smile at the memory.

"You're my angel Steff." Cas murmurs with a soft smile as he falls asleep leaning up against a tree, and with Steff leaning on him a small layer of snow covering both of them. Now what neither of them knew was that Gabriel had been watching silently from afar having finally found his brother's hiding spot. Gabriel having seen enough and is tired of Lucifer's constant pacing, goes over to them then transports them to Bobby's barn.

"Sleep well…. Father knows you'll need it." Gabriel says as he manifests a big fluffy blanket and puts it on them.

Next Day

"AAAAAHHHHH!" Someone shouts jolting Steff awake who had been using Cas' thigh as a pillow.

"AAAAHHH!" That someone shouts again waking Cas up too.

"What the hell?" Steff says groggily coming up from under the blanket.

"Stop shouting." Cas says quietly waking up slowly.

"AHHH!" Dean shouts again alerting everyone, who all came running at all the shouting. Sam, Bobby, Lucifer, and Michael all run to the barn to see Steff lying on Castiel with messed up hair and a scowl on her face.

"You!" Lucifer shouts as he points to Cas while pulling Steff over to him.

"Luci stop we just went to save another polar bear." Steff lies as she shrugs out of his tight grip.

"Don't cover for him Steff, Gabriel told me what really happened." Lucifer growls as he advances toward his frightened brother. Steff jumps in front of Cas, and wraps him in her wings protectively.

"Back off Morning Star it's not his fault…. At least not completely." Steff reasons as she puts a hand to Lucifer's chest to stop him.

"What… how can you defend him? He just kidnapped you, and if it weren't for Gabriel you would still be lost to me." Lucifer says angrily, flabbergasted that Steff could still trust this angel.

"No… Actually Cas and I were going to come back in the morning, and it wasn't kidnap. He asked me if I wanted to go somewhere and I consented… now at the time I didn't know he wasn't gonna let me leave later, but that isn't the point." Steff explains to Lucifer who is still glaring at his brother.

"But why?" Lucifer asks waiting to smite till he has heard the whole story.

"You killed his mate Sophiel the day you rebelled, and apparently I remind him of her." Steff says sadly while she rubs Cas' wings in comfort. When Lucifer hears this he backs off trying to remember who Cas' mate was, and then replays the day in his mind. His eyes widen when he remembers the fire angel who had died to save her younger brothers from him. Who when he came to think of it Steff really did look like Sophiel except for the wings, Sophiel's were a dark forest green.

"Cas I'm sorry…I didn't mean to." Lucifer apologizes gently and walks over to Cas anger leaving him.

"Lucifer it's fine, it's what happens in battle." Cas says having forgave his rebellious brother centuries ago. Lucifer nods his head and backs away from him and Steff.

"Cas what will you do now?" Dean asks curiously hoping the angel might stick around, for some reason found himself missing the angel's presence.

"Well I'll probably go back to Heaven for awhile." Cas states sadly thinking of the Heaven him and Sophiel had created.

"Stay Cas don't go back... at least not yet. Come with me to Hell you can meet the Nightmaric steeds and pet some Hellhounds too." Steff offers not wanting to leave Cas alone like this. Cas stands there staring at his charge like she grew a second head he can't fathom how forgiving she is.

"How can you forgive me so quickly? If I were you I would be angry, not offering to make me feel better." Cas says uncomprehendingly.

"Forgive and forget unless someone died, then I gotta avenge them." Steff says with a smile, and pats Cas' shoulder reassuringly as he just stands there with a confounded look.

"When did you adopt that policy? Cause if I remember correctly when you were younger you spent a lot of time holding a grudge between Sam or I." Dean questions with a smirk.

"You guys were dicks though. So... its different." Steff explains with a smug smirk.

"Really? I was a dick I would beg to differ." Sam says while he throws his arms up in mock frustration. The Winchester siblings continue to bicker back and forth. Lucifer, Cas, and Michael just stare at them with a smile. After a few minutes Bobby notices it's started to get heated and he decides to step in.

"Alright you idjits, just stop." Bobby interrupts them in an attempt to stop them before it got to hurtful, but he was to late when he heard the last statement Dean made to his sister. Bobby saw how her wings stiffened in hurt and anger.

"Bobby you can't order me around." Steff challenges after Dean had hit a particularly deep and very sensitive nerve.

"Steff what did you just say?" Bobby says authoritatively with a glare.

"Steffanie Marie Winchester! You will not talk to Bobby like that." Dean shouts at her.

"Oh go fuck yourself Dean you're not my father! Bobby sorry I didn't mean that. Lucifer I'm leaving for a while, Cas you wanna come with?" Steff says to them wings that were once calm are now flared in anger, feathers pointed down like daggers.

"You are not going anywhere Steff, especially after the way you talked to Bobby and I." Dean orders and Steff just mocks him with a laugh.

"Dean I'm not a child anymore… hell I'm not even human, plus you couldn't stop me even if you tried so go fuck yourself… again, only this time a little harder Cas, Lucifer you coming or what? Michael you could come too if you want." Steff offers to the angels who just shake their heads in a quick no.

"Sweetheart I have to go take care of some anarchist demons, but feel free to come with." Lucifer offers wondering where she could possibly be going now.

"I have to go to Heaven, angels to train. Though I might find you later." Cas says and after that flies up to Heaven to train a few angels.

"Steff go to the panic room I'll deal with you later." Dean orders again and Steff just flips him off then disappears in a flurry of feathers.

"Steff wait!" Sam shouts after her, but she's long gone.

"Dean why did you do that? She isn't a child anymore, she doesn't have to listen to you." Michael asks and Lucifer sees this as his cue to leave.

"Michael why don't you just go too." Sam suggests as a fuming Dean slams the door on his way into the house. Michael nods and in agreement and flies off. Sam and Bobby make their way back to the house to find Dean angrily field stripping weapons then cleaning them.

"You alright there Dean?" Sam asks warily as he grabs two beers from the fridge and hands one to Dean.

"Just peachy Sam… just peachy." Dean says through gritted teeth while he puts his glock back together and cocks it. Sam just nods and settles up on his bed with his laptop on his lap looking for any cases nearby, but comes up with nothing. Sam just sighs and pulls out a book to read.

A few hours later

Sam was just falling asleep until his brother drunkenly stumbled into the room mumbling something that sounded like, "I want a cat."

"Dean what are you talking about? We already have a sister who turns into a cat." Sam answers groggily, Dean notices Sam waking up and walks over to his bed.

"No Sam I want a cat that stays a cat and won't talk back to me." Dean slurs out to Sam; Sam just shakes his head at his brother's strange request.

"Dean I think it's time you go to bed." Sam suggests as he gently nudges Dean towards his bed.

"Sam I miss her… I miss my little girl… I didn't mean to hurt her." Dean mumbles sadly as he gets into his bed.

"I know Dean, I'm sure she'll be back soon." Sam says hopefully and watches as Dean nods off into sleep, then he too falls into a dream less slumber.


	26. Things Worth Living For

The reason Steff had left in an angry huff was because Dean had reminded her just how powerless she had been to stop Jo's death. Now what Dean had said wasn't meant to be malicious. He just trying to remind her how she wasn't as all-powerful as she thought she was, especially after this Castiel incident. But Dean being Dean pushed Steff over the edge and she ran. Scared that if Dean pushed to deep he would know how vulnerable she really was… how broken she had became after her best friend's tragic death. She had tried to cover it up, but you can only hide things for so long. When Violet and Seth were born Steff was so thankful because it was a welcome distraction. Watching her son and daughter grow up finally filled the hole in Steff's heart, but once they left the hole reopened with a vengeance. The hole tore itself so large that not even the love she had for her family, her friends, or even Lucifer could fill it. Now when the anniversary of Jo's death came around plus Dean struck a nerve too deep for her to ignore, Steff fled from the pain it caused. Steff flew and when her wings got tired she ran, desperately trying to escape the vulnerability that was threatening to overtake her. Though as she was running she ran right into the clutches of a witch. To tired to fight, and really not wanting to live anymore made her raise her barriers to hide herself while she was taken captive. Now the witch was smart. So when he captured the fallen angel he took the liberty of putting a grace cuff on her, and forced her into cat form then into a cage. The witch was particularly excited about all the knowledge he could learn from her so he took her back to his lair.

About four months later

"Pet I'm drawing your blood again. Please just cooperate with me, I wouldn't want to have to hurt you again." Onyx says as he gently reaches for Steff's already out stretched arm, but pauses and says, "Steff aren't you even gonna fight me anymore."

"No Onyx." Steff replies dejectedly, she had given up fighting a long time ago. Onyx just looks at his depressed Pet; usually she fought him a little even if it was just a witty comment. He didn't even keep her in a cage anymore, but she still had the cuff on. Steff just looks at the Caucasian, dark-haired witch with a very defeated expression like she welcomed death. He was about '5.8' with a healthy amount of muscle on his body and a slender figure; he also had a pleasant looking face that usually wore a bright smile.

"Steff please won't you smile for me, just a little." Onyx urges as he pulls the needle from her arm, having gotten the amount of blood he needed. He doesn't like when Steff gets sad, it makes him feel like a jailer… although if he thought about it he kind of was.

"Onyx please not today." Steff begs quietly as she walks over to her bed and lies down. Onyx just follows her over. Remembering how much fight she used to have back when he first caught her, but after about a month he noticed that he wouldn't have to whip her for obedience. She just stopped fighting him, and did what he asked. Onyx never asked too much of her a hair sample here, a feather there, and a blood sample every once in a while.

"Steff what is wrong with you? For the love of god: fight me, get angry, or hell even try to escape. Just do something." Onyx shouts at her and Steff just rolls over to face the wall. Onyx sits down next to her and pet's her wing comfortingly. Steff shows no reaction to the touches, just lies there with a blank face. Seeing this Onyx just lies down next to her and lies with her, surprised when she does nothing.

"Why?" Steff whispers as tears run down her face. Onyx having heard Steff ask this question more times than he would like to admit, just sighs and kisses the back of her head.

"Pet if you want to leave we can go somewhere… hell I'll even take the cuff off for a while." Onyx offers trying cheer up his sad Pet, but Steff does nothing. She just lies there looking dead.

"Onyx stop mentioning Hell. My mate is there and he is probably upset that he can't find me right now." Steff says and Onyx cocks his head having never heard about Steff's mate. She never mentioned him or her family except when she slept. Sometimes she would call out names, but when Onyx confronted her. She just shrugged and said it was none of his business.

"Pet you have a mate?" He asks curiously.

"Yes his name is Lucifer. The ruler of Hell, the angel cast down from Heaven, and the father of my children." Steff mumbles wiping the tears from off her cheeks. She missed Lucifer and her brothers, but she couldn't face them like this.

"Why hasn't he come for you yet? Did you guys break up or something?" Onyx questions worried about having the devil on his ass.

"I have hidden myself from everyone even my guardian angel. Have no fear Onyx they won't find you or I, until I lift the barrier. They probably assume I'm dead." Steff reassures him as she rolls over to face him. Onyx just smiles and kisses her forehead in comfort while smoothing some feathers down.

"So tell me about your children Steff." Onyx says to Steff while he sits her up. Steff nods her head and uses her power to show him a picture of them in fire. Onyx never knew Steff could do that even with the cuff off. Just stares in enchantment as he watches a boy with white and blue wings, then a girl with black. Onyx watches as the two soar through the sky then turn into cats.

"The girl is Violet she is my daughter a wonderful flyer the fastest I have ever seen, with an attitude just like her father. The boy is Seth my son a fighter like me…." Steff trails off trying to remember the last time she had actually been in a fight. Or even put up a fight… she was Steffanie Marie Winchester an angel of Hell with a quick wit and the power to destroy evil…. She was no one's Pet. Onyx looks to Steff and notices how a gleam shows up in her eyes.

"Pet what are you thinking?" Onyx asks warily trying to gauge her mood.

"I'm not your pet… I am Steffanie Marie Winchester. I am an Archangel, the Angelic Huntress, and the one who tamed Lucifer! I am no one's pet!" Steff says determination slowly returning to her voice as she pushes her doubts to the back of her mind.

"Pet what are you talking about?" Onyx asks having never seen this side of Steff, and needless to say he was beginning to become a little frightened by her.

"I am not your 'Pet' Onyx not yours, not anyone's." Steff says threateningly as she jumps off the bed and pins Onyx to the ground, "You are just some pathetic excuse for a witch."

"Alright if that's how you really feel, how about you calm down and go back to the bed hmmm…Pet I think that would be best for both of us." Onyx says quietly trying to get up, but Steff pins him down on the bed.

"Remove it now or I will summon all of the angels I know to this spot, and they won't be as much fun as me." Steff growls and Onyx reaches up and takes the cuff off. But as he does he pours a potion on Steff, and then injects her with something.

After potion

"What the hell?" Steff wastes no time once the cuff is off she kills the witch with her powers. When Steff smells the bottle the potion was in she instantly recognizes it as a de-aging potion. "Ahh hell." Steff mutters woozily knowing when it takes full affect she'll be younger. So she uses all her strength to get herself as close to Sam and Dean as she can. She makes it to outside the motel and bangs hurriedly on the door.

"Who's there?" Dean's gruff voice comes from inside.

"Your…." Steff trails off as she collapses against the door with a loud thump. Hearing the thump Sam and Dean grab their guns to check it out. However when they do they find the unconscious body of their sister on the ground in front of the door.

"Sam is that…?" Dean inquires while looking to Sam for conformation.

"Yeah it is so help me get her inside." Sam says as he begins to pick Steff up, "Does she seem smaller to you?"

"Now that you mention it, wasn't she taller?" Dean asks, as they lay her on a bed.

"Should we try to wake her, or just wait till the morning?" Sam asks looking at Dean questioningly.

"Let's just wait till morning." Dean says as he settles down next to her on the bed, and Sam settles on his while turning off the lamp. All the Winchesters fall asleep happy to be reunited with each other.

In the afternoon

"Please wake up it hurts." Steff urges the large man with her tiny hands. Steff doesn't know who these men are, but maybe they can help her. Her back hurts fiercely and she doesn't know where her brother Wes is. Dean wakes up slowly to find a tinier version of Steff looking at him. She looks like she is about six, and her wings are gone.

"Steff where are your wings?" Dean asks and Sam comes out of the bathroom to see a younger Steff talking to the Dean.

"What the hell?" Sam shouts at them in shock.

"Please make the pain go away mister it hurts." Little Steff cries to the men.

"Steff, what hurts?" Dean says worriedly not seeing any obvious reasons for her crying.

"My back and who are you? How do you know my name?" Steff asks the man warily while she backs away from the men.

"Steff you know who we are." Sam says as he watches the young girl fall onto the ground her body writhing in pain.

"Please help it hurts." Steff begs as her confused brothers watch wing bones tear out of her back, causing the girl to scream in pain.

"Shhh, Steff it will be alright." Sam says trying to calm the frightened girl, but she just crawls away from him crying hard on the floor by Sam's bed.

"Lucifer!" Dean shouts desperately into the air hoping the angel answers.

"Dean what…" Lucifer starts, but stops noticing a young redhead girl writhing on the floor by a bed with wing bones jutting out of her back crying hard. "Sweetheart is that you?"

"Please make it stop and where's Wes?" Steff pleads urgently. She is terrified of these men and she is in pain, plus she can't find her brother to make matters worse.

"Sweetheart do you know where you are and who we are?" Lucifer asks hoping he's not right, while using his powers to ease the girl's pain, then making the wings fully form, and making them visible.

"No and where is Wes?" Steff cries backing away from the strange men. All the men share looks trying to figure out the best way to tell Steff about Wes and her mother.

"Sweetheart why don't you come over to me." Lucifer suggests gently, but the young girl no longer in pain stays put. Dean and Sam just stare at little Steff cowering in the corner scared, but slowly becoming her usual defiant self.

"I have to use the bathroom, excuse me." Steff declares quickly as she moves past the men into the bathroom. Once the door is closed, she assesses the situation her natural instincts kicking in. She has a full set of clothes on and an unusual silver blade in her right boot and an ebony knife with strange symbols on it in the other. So her six-year-old self decides to ditch theses strange men. Looking for a way out she sees a window and thanks God they're on the first floor. She jumps out and starts to sprint away from the motel.

Ten minutes later

"Guys she has been in there a long time." Dean points out.

"Steff you okay in there?" Sam asks as he knocks on the door. The men wait for an answer but her nothing. They open the door to find Steff gone and the window open.

"We need to find her." Dean says in a panicky voice, because when she did this as a teen they knew she could at least defend herself; but now they had no clue if she could fight or not.

"What were you hunting here?" Lucifer asks trying to gauge the danger level here.

"A fire sprite…." Sam answers.

"It was taking young children." Dean finishes the sentence as the men all look at each other in horror.

Outside in the parking lot

"Ahh… let go of me you bastard." The men here from outside and rush out to see a man grabbing Steff by the arm, Steff twists out of the grip, and draws the silver blade quickly. The man sees the blade and turns into full on fire sprite mode trying to scare the girl. However Steff remains calm, and plunges her blade into the man's heart. The fire sprite falls to the ground then burns into a pile of ash meanwhile Dean, Sam, and Lucifer run towards Steff. When Steff sees them her eyes widens and she starts to sprint away from them, but her little legs were no match for Sam's long ones. Sam catches her without even breaking a sweat, and then scoops her up.

"Help someone they're kidnapping me!" Steff shouts in desperation catching a few unsure looks from around the parking lot.

"I'm her brother, and this is not kidnap." Sam says to them trying to explain the situation. The on lookers give them a wary look, but go on their way.

"Steff stop this, or I won't tell you where Wes is." Dean threatens and Steff immediately settles in Sam's arms. The men take her back into the motel room.

"Where is Wes?" Steff demands as she bites Sam causing him to drop her. Sam yelps in pain rubbing the spot where she bit him as she flees to the farthest corner from the men.

"We are your brothers John Winchester's sons. Wes and your mother were killed by a werewolf." Dean explains to her and at that exact moment her memories begin to trickle into her mind.

"You're Dean aren't you, and shaggy over there is Sammy right." Steff says as she turns to Lucifer with a pained look, "You're Lucifer a fallen…. angel." Steff finishes with her eyes closed as she holds her head with her little hands remembering slowly. "I killed Wes…." She whispers in horror to herself.

"Steff are you alright?" Sam inquires as he looks at her in concern.

"I…. how… no!" Steff shouts as she feels her little wings flare out ready to fly.

"Steff let's talk about it." Dean says as he grabs her, holding her so she can't escape.

"Let go Dean please let go." Steff begs as she struggles against him, but settles when he hugs her. "Dean I killed him, didn't I?" Steff asks him with tears in her big blue eyes.

"Sweetheart how much do you remember?" Lucifer asks Steff, but when he comes closer to her, she just whimpers and moves closer to Dean.

"Lucifer no offense, but now might not be the best time." Dean says as he pets Steff's head in comfort feeling the girl relax against him.

"I will come back later, goodbye Steff." Lucifer says sadly and flies back to Hell.

"Steff are you hungry?" Sam asks the little girl after a few minutes.

"No Sammy." Steff answers as she pulls away from Dean, yawning and goes to lie on the couch tired from all the excitement of today. The boy's watch as her little six-year-old self climbs up, and lies on the couch then falls asleep. It only takes a few minutes for her breathing to even out signaling sleep.

"Sam what should we do now?" Dean asks not really wanting to leave her with Bobby, but seeing no other option.

"Dude we need to take her to Bobby's till this wears off, but I don't want to dump her and run." Sam replies sadly.

"We could call Cas he might be able to take her to Heaven with him." Dean suggests.

"No I can't take her like this, her children would freak out but she could go to Hell with Lucifer she would be safe, or Bobby's he could watch over her." Castiel says while he picks up little Steff in his arms.

"Wait maybe we should keep her." Dean says hesitantly as he moves toward the angel.

"Dean it is impractical for you two, and young Steff will be a handful." Castiel says as he curls the young angel to his chest.

"Cas we have dealt with her before we can do it again. Give me Steff." Dean orders as he holds out his hands for Steff.

"Dean run I got them." Steff mumbles in her sleep against Castiel's shoulder.

"I shall take her to Bobby's for now it is the safest route till you finish up here. She'll be fine there. Her memories have begun to come back, and it will be hard for her to understand on her own. So at least this way Bobby will be there to explain if she has questions." Cas says as he disappears with Steff in his arms.

"Dammit Cas, get back here with her!" Dean shouts after the angel.

"Dean she is fine with Cas… come on we'll get some rest and be on the road in twelve hours." Sam says as he lies in his bed.

"Where the hell do you think she was for all that time Sam? Plus why couldn't we find her at all. Cas and Lucifer said it was like she dropped of the face of the earth." Dean asks wondering how his words could have upset her so much that she would disappear for so long.

"Dean you know how she gets…especially because you always know the right nerves to hit." Sam comments as he pulls the covers over his body.

"I guess Sammy… I guess…" Dean says with a heavy sigh and turns off the lamp as they go to sleep.

Bobby's House

"Bobby are you here?" Cas shouts accidentally waking the sleeping girl in his arms.

"Who are you… wait I think I got it." Steff says and Cas puts the young girl down gently. He watches as Steff closes her eyes, and puts her hands over her eyes. Her actions make Cas smile as he waits for her to make a connection. "I know the other men they were Sam, Dean, and Lucifer... I don't like Lucifer he scares me…. But you're an angel maybe… Balthazar, no your to stiff…. trench coat… it's so close … I can almost." Steff rambles as she searches through her memories.

"Would you like me to help you Steff?" Cas suggests helpfully.

"No I will figure it out!" Steff says while stomping her little foot in determination.

"Very well then I shall wait." Cas says with a small laugh smiling at her independence.

"Don't laugh at me Cas! …Oh wait that's it! You're Castiel, my guardian angel." Steff says happily, proud that she remembered him.

"Very good Steff, now shall I take you to your bed?" Cas asks the young girl.

"No its fine. Cas, you can go I'll wait for Bobby here. I like Bobby's house. He has sharp knives and arrows. Cas did you know that Bobby always let's me shoot his bows when Daddy takes me here. I miss Daddy when is he coming back Cas and why did I kill Wes?" Steff rambles looking to Cas for answers with big blue puppy dog eyes.

"Steff he was a werewolf." Cas says to the girl trying to clarify her memories for her.

"He was a werewolf like Daddy fights." Steff says contemplatively as she goes quiet.

"Steff are you alright?" Cas asks the girl noticing how she went quiet.

"My wings hurt Cas." Steff states suddenly, changing the subject quickly.

"Here let me help." Cas says as he puts his hands to her little black fluffy wings and heals them.

"Thanks Cas." Steff says with a smile and hugs the angel as she goes to rush outside. "I'm going outside."

"Steff you can't it is night." Cas says as he pulls Steff back.

"Oh… well then let's watch a movie." Steff pipes up as she pulls from Cas' grip roughly.

"Steff I need to go, Bobby will be here in a minute. Can I trust you to stay in here?" Cas says while looking for any signs of lying.

"Silly Cas, why would I leave?" Steff says innocently as she settles on the couch with the remote, wincing when Cas isn't looking at her. Her memories had started to come back in a rush and as soon as Cas left, she was going to leave. Cas nods then disappears; Steff waits about a minute before she rushes out the back door to the barn. Once in the barn she begins to cry out, tired of hiding the pain; it's like watching a movie in fast-forward. Images and words flash before her, but one of them stops and replays over and over. It's the four months she spent with Onyx, like the memory is trying to tell her something. 'I'm working on a spell Pet. Would you care to know what it is? No… well I'll tell you anyways it's a de-aging potion for angels like you. Although it will only last a short period of time.'

"Oh no… not this shit." Steff whispers angrily, balling up her tiny fists and punching the ground in frustration, leaving a small dent in the dirt.

"Steff where are you? Cas said you were here." Bobby calls out looking for the girl.

"Bobby in here." Steff shouts feeling woozy as she walks to the barn door. "Bob…."

"Whoa there Steff." Bobby says as he picks up the shaky little girl.

"Bobby my head hurts… really bad." Steff says as she whimpers into his shoulder.

"What're you doing out here then?" Bobby asks in confusion, soothing the little girl by petting her black fluffy wings.

"Looking for you… Cas left me alone and I got scared… I thought monsters were gonna get me." Steff lies knowing they will believe anything she says like this even though her memories have returned. Though in truth being alone still did make her a little uneasy.

"It's alright I got ya. No monsters are gonna get you now… I heard about the fire sprite you took down today." Bobby says to the sleepy little girl as he walks them back.

"I thought they were gonna hurt me so I ran away, but then there was the sprite… he wanted to hurt me so I killed him." Steff mumbles sleepily into Bobby's shoulder as he enters the house.

"Good job Huntress." Bobby says with a smile as he puts her down on Dean's bed. Then he lays on Sam's bed just to be sure Steff doesn't run. He heard her earlier crying in the barn although he doesn't know about what yet. Bobby just shakes his head and falls into a deep sleep thinking 'I'm too damn old for this shit'.

Next day late morning

When Bobby awakes he finds little Steff curled into his side sniffling.

"Hey what's wrong Steff?" Bobby asks as he brushes her hair out of her face.

"Nothing Bobby I'm fine." Steff says instantly perking up and wiping away her tears. She had been dreaming about Jo's death when Azazel got them. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Well throw your clothes out the door I'll wash them for you." Bobby says and watches as Steff just laughs.

"Bobby I still have my powers. I can manifest new ones, thanks though." Steff says with more maturity then a six year old should have. 'Dammit this ruse isn't gonna work for much longer now that I have all my memories back again.' Steff thinks as she washes her hair and wings. 'How much longer can this last?' Steff asks herself.

'Pet come back to me, and I'll tell you.' Onyx's voice penetrates her mind causing Steff to shout.

"Steff everything alright up there?" Bobby asks from the hall.

"Yeah Bobby it was a spider, but I got it." Steff lies quickly.

'Onyx didn't I kill you?' Steff thinks at the voice in her head.

'Sorry Pet, I'm a little harder to kill than that… but if you come back to me I'll fix you.'

'Onyx you can understand why I might not trust you, right.'

'Pet did I ever hurt you after you stopped trying to fight me?'

'No, but why would you fix this… I thought you would have wanted this.' Steff thinks at him as she steps out of the shower wrapped in a towel. As she was trying to concentrate enough to form clothes, she slips on a puddle then cracking her anklebone on the outside of the tub. Bobby hearing the crash rushes up the stairs to find Steff on the floor in a puddle of blood with her anklebone jutting out of the skin.

"Bobby stay back." Steff orders as she grits her teeth, and begins to put the bone in its correct position.

"Steff let me help."

"Stay back dammit! I am not six years old anymore I can do this myself." Steff snaps at him using her power to hold him back, also to mend her bones back together. When she gets done she notices Bobby staring at her wide-eyed.

"What happened to you Steff?"

"Life Bobby." Steff replies coldly as she cleans up her blood, and the bathroom then pushes past him. Leaving him standing and staring after her in shock.

'Pet are you ready for my help now'

"Stay out of my damn head Onyx!" Steff shouts out loud angrily as she sits on the couch. Bobby hears her, but says nothing just walks downstairs to find the girl staring at the wall angrily.

'Better calm down Steff before someone starts to pry.' Onyx warns her telepathically.

"Please just shut up." Steff begs quietly out loud.

"Steff who are you talking to?" Bobby asks Steff noticing how she's curled up on the couch with her head against her knees and wings wrapped around her.

"No one Bobby just myself." Steff mutters under her breath while leaving the room.

"Really cause when I talk to myself, I don't usually have another name." Bobby says trying to coax the story out of her.

"Bobby just leave me alone." Steff mutters while she walks out the back door.

'Burning bridges a little fast there aren't we Pet?'

'Onyx stop or I will kill myself.'

'Pet I wouldn't allow that, I enjoy your company too much.'

'Onyx I have a knife to my throat, one more word and I'll do it.' Steff threatens actually holding the knife against her throat.

'….'

'Thank you.' Steff says and puts the knife back in her boots then sits the cold ground, watching as snow falls from the sky.

"Steffanie you have got to be the most serious six year old I have ever seen." Bobby says having followed her out with a blanket and wraps it around her.

"Bobby I think I'm broke." Steff states simply still watching the snow as it cascades down to the ground.

"Watcha mean Steff?" Bobby asks as he pulls the kid in his arms.

"Ever since Jo, it's like I died and it wasn't so bad when I had Lucifer. But after Wes I really did die, Bobby I killed myself alongside with him. Then I tried to die… but Sam wouldn't allow it nor would Lucifer…. I'm just tired Bobby so very tired." Steff whimpers into Bobby as he holds her.

'Come to me Pet I will help you.'

"Onyx go to Hell!" Steff shouts sharply and suddenly as she pulls away from Bobby.

"Steff who is Onyx?" Bobby asks angrily grabbing Steff's wings.

"No one Bobby."

"Steffanie Marie Winchester tell me now!"

"NO!"

"Tell me!"

"No Bobby, please no!" Steff cries out to him hugging him again.

"Steff let me help you please." Bobby begs as he tries to soothe the frantic girl. Steff just shakes her head and cries. "What about Seth and Violet?"

"They'll be fine they have mates and Lucifer."

"What about Lucifer? What happens to him? What happens to Sam, Dean, and Cas? "

"I can't save everyone…." Steff says suddenly her body stiffening in realization.

"No, but we can try to save you sometimes." Dean says with him and Sam walking over having heard the whole argument. As soon as they come over she pulls from Bobby and backs away from them.

'Oooo, I always loved family reunions.' Onyx pipes up suddenly.

"No, no, no, no…." Steff says backing away from them running, but stops mid step, "No?"

"Who are you talking to Steff?" Dean asks as he and Sam slowly approach her, like she's a frightened animal who'll lash out at the closest person.

"No one Dean, no one at all." Steff says finally realizing what was happening.

"Steff what do you mean?" Sam inquires still not sure what to make of the six year old angel who still looks a little flighty.

"He isn't real…. Bobby he isn't real…. But that means…. This isn't real." Steff says deliriously as she collapses.

"STEFF!" Is the last thing Steff hears before she is sucked into an inky, black darkness.

Back in the real world

(Three months later)

When she wakes next she's still being held by Onyx, and she's normal sized again.

"Good, you're awake Pet. I was beginning to worry about you." Onyx says with a smile hoping she is in a better mood after he let her visit her family… in her mind at least.

"I am not your Pet…. Release me and your death will be swift." Steff threatens him realizing that the potion had put her under some sort of trance, and the scenario she just experienced was all a lie. Just like that realization Steff would never give up, she would save everyone even if it killed her.

"Pet don't be like that… Be good for me please, I don't want to have to put the chain back on you." Onyx says tiredly, frustrated that she wasn't happy.

"I AM NOT YOUR PET!" Steff shouts angrily as she uses sheer force to break her restraints including the cuff. Which sets off an alarm in her mind, but she doesn't have time to question it so she just continues on, "I AM NO ONE'S PET, NOT NOW, NOT EVER!"

"Steff please calm down." Onyx says attempting to try and calm her, but she's so full of rage she doesn't even need to touch him. She uses her fire to create a fireball and sends it at him only to have him deflect it. Steff flares out her wings each feather tipped with fire. She uses her feathers like throwing knives as she spins, and they fly out as flaming arrows. The feathers pin him to a wall and she creates a snake of fire that wraps itself around the witch, immobilizing and burning him as it slithers up his body.

"How long have you held me?" Steff asks him while drawing the knife from her left boot.

"Seven months in total… the first four you were awake, but after your outburst I put you under…. How did you figure it out?" Onyx answers while grimacing as the snake slithers farther up his leg burning flesh as it goes.

"I would have never called Cas silly even as a child…. That was far too long witch, now you die." Steff says as she slits his throat and puts a hundreds of small fire snakes into the cut. They begin slithering throughout his veins, and arteries. Burning everything they touch. All Onyx can do is cry out in pain for the last agonizing minutes of his life. When he's finally been reduced to nothing more then a steaming pile of ash. She uses her grace to scatter it across the cosmos, so that no one can ever attempt to revive him.

"Please someone help me!" Steff shouts as she lowers her barrier and stumbles outside the burning building. When she looks outside she notices that there is no one to help her she is on her own… 'Exactly how I wanted it' she thinks regretfully at herself. So Steff staggers as far as she can which isn't very far maybe a mile or two. However before she can go any farther she trips on a rock and slips back into the inky darkness.


	27. Steff's Exit Plan... Jump out the Window

Two weeks later

Steff awakes to see two middle-aged men looking down at her; both of the men were wearing flannel shirts, jeans, boots, and baseball caps.

"Good you're awake miss. We were worried you weren't gonna make it." One of the men says while he hands her a closed bottle of water. Steff takes the water gratefully and chugs it.

"Whoa, easy there miss. We don't want you to choke." The other man says with a smile, Steff stops drinking and looks at her surroundings.

"Where am I?" She asks them as she finishes the water.

"You're in Deeth, Nevada. My names Greg and this is my brother Martin." Greg says with a smile as he shakes Steff's hand.

"We found you about a mile from a burning house with your uhh... wings looking very burned so we figured we'd take you back with us." Martin explains to her, as her eyes get wide in horror.

"Wait my wings?" Steff says in panic. However she breathes a sigh of relief when she turns around to see her wings fully healed, with new black glossy feathers with the dark indigo tips shining beautifully.

"Miss what's your name? We couldn't find any ID in your pockets when we washed your clothes." Greg asks handing Steff back her normal clothes.

"My name... it's Steff and thanks for all the help, but I'll be going now." Steff says with a polite nod and gets off the bed only to stumble then fall.

"Easy there Steff it's been two weeks…. You need to take it slow." Martin says to her as he helps the winged lady up.

"Thanks Martin, but I need to leave... Wait why aren't you guys freaking out? I'm a woman with four large black wings." Steff asks looking at them, but sensing nothing even remotely supernatural about them. They both look at her with a dumbfounded look.

"Miss Steff I'm a veterinarian, so the wings don't really bother me to much." Greg says casually with a shrug.

"When we first saw you... I uhh thought..." Martin trails off in embarrassment.

"Oh no not this again... Sorry Miss Steff my brother is so dumb sometimes." Greg apologizes while he shakes his head disapprovingly.

"What did you think I was Martin?" Steff questions curious to hear his answer as she pulls on her shirt over the sports bra she had been laying in.

"An angel Miss Steff... You looked like an angel fallen down from Heaven crashed down to earth." Martin answers embarrassedly. Steff just smiles at the man as she pulls on her pants, then her boots comforted by the feel of her knife and angel blade.

"Well Martin you were correct in your assumption of my angelic status, but I'm not from Heaven. I am Steffanie Marie Winchester an Angel of Hell, my husband is Lucifer, and he is probably really worried right now…. What month is it?" Steff asks them while she shakes out her wings testing to see if they are flight worthy… and they're not she mutters angrily, "Dammit."

"Steff its the middle of August and Lucifer really… I thought he was evil." Martin says in awe at having an angel in his house.

"No not anymore, turns out he was just very lonely. Hey I really don't know how to thank you guys for taking care of me; seriously can't thank you enough. I don't know what Violet and Seth would do if I died… or hell Lucifer for that fact." Steff says as she hands each man a stack of bills.

"Who are Violet and Seth and what is this for?" Martin asks as he hands the bills back to Steff.

"Violet and Seth are my children, here's a picture." Steff says as she creates a picture of Violet and Seth out of fire.

"Wow, Martin I guess you were right about there being angels." Greg says shaking his head in amazement.

"Yeah, here's your money back we don't need it." Martin says humbly as he hands back the cash. Steff smiles and hugs the men for their kindness.

"Do you guys need anything else?" Steff asks wanting to give the men something for their trouble.

"My car's engine is busted, but other than that were fine." Martin says with a shrug.

"Not anymore, Artemis and Apollo will be just fine in the morning." Steff says to the men having sensed the sick horses and healed them.

"Wait did you say Winchester was your last name?" Greg asks while looking at Steff, 'she definitely took charge of a situation like her father' he thought.

"Yeah why?" Steff asks while backing away from the men in case of danger. The men notice her change in demeanor, and hold up their hands signaling no danger.

"Steff it's just we are good friends of your father." Martin says calmingly.

"Oh well in that case… I really will be going, thanks for everything you guys." Steff says gratefully as she walks to the window, and crawls out then jumps down to the ground it was only two stories so Steff was fine.

"Wait Steff your Dad is just up the road, I'm sure he could give you a ride to somewhere." Greg shouts out the window worried about the young woman's health, and Martin already had the phone in his hand. Steff just walks on, but after about a mile. She has to stop due to the fact that her ankle throbs, and she doesn't have the strength heal it yet.

"Hey you need a ride Steff?" A man with a familiar voice asks from a large pick up truck as he opens the passenger door.

"No I don't John. I'd rather limp back to Hell than get a ride with you." Steff says and continues limping away.

"Steff get in the truck." John orders her stopping the truck next to her.

"Screw you." Steff says and grits her teeth limping on, but she steps in a hole twisting her foot painfully, "Christ Almighty!"

"Steffanie!" John shouts with concern as he puts the truck in park and dashes over to her.

"I'm fine, just go away!" Steff shouts at him, and all of a suddenly she sees an empty syringe in his hand. "You bast…" She trails off feeling sleepy all of a sudden.

"I got you." John says lovingly as he picks up his daughter, and lays her in the passenger seat then wraps a blanket around her. When John gets back into the car he begins driving towards Bobby's house, and about half way there Steff slumps over with her head on John's thigh. John just looks down at her then begins to pet her wings soothingly and mumbles quietly, "Two can be as bad one it's the loneliest number since the number one."

Couple of Hours later

"Daddy… don't leave me…" Steff mumbles in her sleep quietly.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take you…. I never could and for that I'm so very sorry…. I could never keep you." John whispers to his daughter not even sure if he can call her that anymore. Remembering when he had finally caught up to Sam and Dean after they had been caring for Steff for a few months. Little Steff had been so happy to see him; the boys had told him she had wanted to see him so bad. But John needed her to forget him, and become a hunter like Sam and Dean. So John had been cold, distant, and acted like he could care less about her. Little Steff hadn't been prepared for it, but she had accepted it and moved on from him. She allowed Sam and Dean to shape her into a hunter; with her natural affinities it hadn't taken much. But when she needed comfort or love she no longer thought of John as her father. She looked to Dean for the fatherly love, and Sam or Bobby for comfort. So when Dean had called him a few years later and asked him why, John said it was because it was what the girl needed. However John now being able to look back at his actions he honestly and whole-heartedly regrets it. And when Steff wakes up in an hour or two she'll hate him, despise him, and possibly try to kill him. He knows he deserved all of it and when Dean had said she was more his little girl then John's…. Well John knew Dean was right about that too. He hated himself more than his own daughter probably hated him for what he had done to her.

"Where's Sammy, I need to save Sammy." Steff mumbles in her sleep.

"I'm so very sorry Steff… so very sorry." John says and tries to blink back the tears forming at his eyes, but one drips onto Steff's face waking her up.

"I'm not." Steff mumbles groggily as she wakes up having heard John a little bit, but doesn't move her head from his leg. John looks down to see her staring hard up at him.

"You understand why I did it, don't you?" John asks as Steff sits up and turns toward him.

"Yeah John, doesn't make it feel right though… does it?" Steff responds bitterly, while looking into his eyes with resentment.

"I wish I could have saved them."

"I wish I wouldn't have had to been the one kill them, but we both know we couldn't have changed that…. Fate's a bitch like that." Steff says as she braids her hair into a long braid, like Sammy would do for her as a child.

"Steff…" John starts, but doesn't know what else to say so he just stops trying, and concentrates on driving the truck. Once they're about seven miles from Bobby's house Steff tells John to stop the car.

"I'll walk the rest of the way." Steff informs him as she gets out of the truck her ankle healed about an hour ago. Though her wings were almost ready for flight just not quite yet.

"Steff please…"

"No John, we're done… don't call me, don't call my brothers just disappear like you always do… hell I think that's the only thing you've ever been good at. Now if you excuse me I need to go back to my family." Steff snaps as she begins walking towards Bobby's house and watches as the truck drives off. So she walks the rest of the way to Bobby's, but debates in her mind whether or not to knock on the front door. After about two minutes of standing there the door opens to find Bobby walking out.

"Steff?" Bobby says in surprise, having come face to face with her.

"Hey Bobby what's happening?" Steff says casually as she fiddles with her braid.

"Bobby Steff's dead… Holy shit!" Sam shouts as he walks over to the door to see Steff standing there, looking at the ground nervously but very much alive and breathing.

"Sam what is it…." Dean comes over to see what the commotion was only to be face to face with Steff.

"Hey guys long time no see." Steff says cheerily as she gives them a small smile, while undoing the braid.

"ANGELS!" Sam shouts and instantly Lucifer, Seth, Violet, and Michael show up.

"What could possibly be…" Lucifer starts, but stops as soon as he sees her.

"Mom!" Violet and Seth exclaim in unison rushing over to her and wrapping her in a hug.

"Hey guys, sorry I was gone for so long. A witch got me thought for sure I was a goner…. Sam did you guys make like a code or something while I was gone?" Steff says quickly then looks to Lucifer to see him staring at her with a cold glare that could freeze hellfire.

"Steff we thought you were dead." Michael says as he pulls Steff into a hug after her children let go.

"I thought I was for awhile Michael, but then I remembered who and what I fought for." Steff says trying to gain enough confidence to meet Lucifer's gaze. "I remembered what it meant to be alive and to be an angel of fire." Steff says finally meeting Lucifer's icy gaze with a fiery one of her own. "I missed you Lucifer."

"Where did you go? How could you leave me… for so long?"

"I'm sorry, but I was lost… I was lost to everything, all of you, and even myself. Life barely held enough meaning for me to not kill myself… well that and the witch who was holding me would have just brought me back." Steff says quietly to the crowd, looking up at them she was met with pitiful stares.

"Mom we love you." Seth and Violet say.

"I know… you two were what I fought for. You're what helped me remember who I am that …and snakes." Steff says smiling at how the witch who was holding her had met his fiery end.

"Well Mom I'm so glad your back, but I have training to do." Seth says as he hugs his mother.

"Me too Mom, Omniel says my rainbows are getting better and better each day." Violet states proudly.

"Show me Vi." Steff asks following her daughter as she moves into the yard.

"Alright here I go." Violet says and begins to produce a faint rainbow. Steff sensing she is having trouble walks over to her, and uses some of her grace to give Violet a boost secretly. It was just what Violet needed to complete the rainbow and everyone looks up to see a large, bright, seven colored rainbow in the sky. Everyone cheers and congratulates Violet on the beautiful rainbow, but Violet pulls her mother aside knowing she helped her.

"Mom how did you do that? It was like you sent your own rainbow to strengthen mine." Violet says in confusion, knowing angels of fire can't create rainbows.

"Vi, if you must know I figured out how to control weather a long time ago, but since angels are only supposed to have one power I hid it." Steff says quietly to her daughter who just smiles the biggest smile she has ever seen.

"Does Dad know?" Violet asks her mother.

"No, I don't think so… he has a slight affinity for weather when he gets angry, so he assumes you got it from him." Steff answers her while creating a cat made of black colored fire with rainbow stripes, "This is what my true cat form looks like, but since it's so bright I changed it to the one I wear usually."

"Mom that's awesome!" Violet shouts out getting glances from the crowd.

"Shhh Violet."

"Sorry, but can I tell Seth?" Violet asks lowering her voice a few notches.

"Yes just keep your tone down in Heaven, rumors fly fast up there, and good luck with the rest of your training." Steff says as she watches Seth and Violet fly back to Heaven.

"Steff, what did you just tell Violet?" Dean asks trying to see what the exclamation was for.

"It's because Steff let me be there uncle finally… this angel takes a lot of convincing." Balthazar lies as he suddenly appears next to Steff.

"Balth…Oh yeah he really wanted to be an uncle, apparently Bernael doesn't want children so he figured he could live with being their uncle." Steff says quickly as she hugs Balthazar in greeting, but she doesn't notice how Balthazar stiffens at her words.

"So how are you Darling? I just heard the news from Seth." Balthazar asks as he moves Steff away from the group who are now talking amongst each other.

"Balth thanks for the cover… Violet has always been so loud just like Dean… I swear it must be a Winchester trait, but hey how did you find Seth so fast?" Steff asks as she and Balthazar walk amongst the broken cars.

"Seth is my student and Violet just told him. The boy cannot hide things at all… he's like an open book." Balthazar says as he hugs Steff hard, "I thought you were dead Darling, but Bernael told me you would make it."

"I'm sorry Balthy…. How has Cas been?" Steff asks wondering when Cas will show up.

"Why are you so worried about your guardian Steff? He has lost charges before, and besides he is supposed to be your guardian you're not supposed to be his." Balthazar points out as he and Steff continue walking around the cars. Steff says nothing just bites her lip.

"I…he just… Balthazar how is he?" Steff asks while she creates a fire snake and watches as it slithers away into the forest, searching for any signs of danger.

"To tell you the truth Darling… he's not right. Ever since Lucifer declared you dead it's like he died too. The first months after they said you were dead he scoured Heaven for you. Then when you weren't there he scoured Hell, and when you weren't there he just stopped." Balthazar tells her sadly.

"What do you mean stopped?" Steff asks hoping he's not dead.

"I mean like stopped…I haven't seen him in months, his charges left unattended … Michael tried to find him, but couldn't… we all assumed he killed himself." Balthazar tells Steff who just looks at him in horror.

"No Cas… He can't be…. No!" Steff shouts at him tears beginning to fall from her eyes as she flaps her wings trying to fly, but the wings still needed a couple of hours.

"Steff stop you can't fly, and you what makes you think he's still alive?" Balthazar asks Steff trying to hug her in comfort, but she pushes away from him.

"Don't you dare say that! Cas isn't… he can't be." Steff growls at him and wipes the tears from her face refusing to accept defeat, "He isn't dead Balthazar… he can't be… I won't let him!" She yells at the British angel and stalks back to the rest of the group. Balthazar just shakes his head in defeat, and flies back to Heaven to train Seth. Seeing Steff's disheveled state the men turn to her.

"Steff what's wrong?" Dean asks wondering what could possibly be wrong.

"Where was he last seen?" Steff asks them not answering Dean.

"Sweetheart where was who last seen?" Lucifer asks as he moves closer to Steff attempting to calm her.

"Cas you dicks! Where is Castiel?" Steff shouts at them moving away from Lucifer. All of the men just give her sad looks, and look at the ground not wanting to be the one who informs her of the loss. After what feels like an eternity Sam walks inside then comes back with a dirty, worn, light brown trench coat. Sam hands the coat to Steff, but when she sees it she falls to her knees and begins to cry.

"It's all my fault…. I couldn't save him… my fault… Onyx was right. I am just some useless pet. I never was an angel… I'm just useless." Steff says in horror as she slumps to the ground accepting defeat. Lucifer picks her up off the ground, and takes her into the house. "Useless…. I'm useless." Steff mutters against Lucifer.

"Sweetheart it's not your fault." Lucifer says to her, but Steff doesn't hear him she just lays deadly against him. "Sweetheart why do you feel so cold?" Lucifer asks as he manifests a blanket and wraps it around her thinking how unnatural it is for an angel of fire to feel cold. Steff doesn't answer she just repeats the word "useless" over and over again. "Sweetheart can you even hear me?" Lucifer asks Steff worriedly while pulling her into his lap and petting her wings gently. Steff shows no sign of hearing him she just sits there in his lap looking dead.

"My fault..." Steff whispers quietly into Lucifer's shoulder after about an hour of silence. "I shouldn't have left…should have just faced it… now he's dead, and it's my fault." Steff says tears forming anew as she cries hard into Lucifer's shoulder.

"Shhh, Sweetheart its alright it'll be okay shhh." Lucifer tries to comfort her, but Steff stiffens at his touch.

"Lucifer it is my fault." Steff says as she pulls back from him then stands on her feet as she backs away from him. Lucifer gets up and walks towards her, but Steff just keeps backing away till she hits the wall.

"Sweetheart stop, you didn't kill him." Lucifer tries to reason with her, but she just shakes her head.

"No I did! All he ever did was try to save me… and I killed him! Can't you see I killed him?" Steff shouts at him tears streaming down her face as she slides down the wall to the floor. Her head against her knees, and wings wrapped around her. Lucifer goes to touch her, but her wings ignite and burn his hands, though nothing around her.

"Steff it's not your fault, you didn't kill him." Dean says soothingly seeing that Lucifer's way isn't working. Lucifer hopes Dean can get through to her before she hurts herself.

"Shut up Dean! This is all your fault!" Steff shouts at him, remembering it was him who had said such mean things to her, "You said those things to me… You pushed me away…You-Killed-Cas!" Steff accuses standing up and with her entire form wrapped in fire as she advances towards Dean in pure, unadulterated fury. Dean seeing no other choice darts out of the house then into the yard to minimize damage to Bobby's house, but mostly himself.

"Steff I didn't mean to… It wasn't meant to be hurtful." Dean says trying to get Steff to see reason, but Steff is too far-gone, having found an outlet for her anger. She says nothing as she stalks forward to him all four wings usually a calm black, now flared in anger with each feather and bone outlined in an angry red fire.

"Steffanie stop!" Michael orders from the porch. Steff says nothing, but sends a snake made of angry red fire at him, the cobra hisses at him menacingly. Michael uses his grace to smite it before it hurts anyone. Dean is now running from Steff who's stalking towards him covered in fire. He runs into the car yard in an attempt to hide while the angels try to figure out a way to stop Steff.

"Dean come out and fight like a man." Steff shouts out. Lucifer deciding he should try to stop his angry mate before she does anything to irrational, tackles Steff to the ground trying to put her out.

"Steff stop this your going to hurt someone." Lucifer says as he touches Steff's burning wings and body with his own ice covered one. She struggles against Lucifer's cool touches, and after about a minute she manages to push Lucifer off.

"So what if I hurt someone everyone always hurts me! No one takes into account how I might feel when one of you tell me I'm weak!" Steff shouts at Lucifer turning around to face him angrily.

"Sweetheart…"

"Lucifer shut up! Stop twisting words! Stop changing the subject! Stop distracting me and most of all stop loving me!" She screams at him at the top of her lungs. The entire set of onlookers stop for a minute in surprise at what she just said. Lucifer gets up and faces his blazing angel in confusion.

"Never Steff, I can't stop… but why would I ever want to." Lucifer says lovingly as he watches the flames lower to a dull ember. "Cas' death wasn't your fault, or Dean's, or anybodies it was his own fault."

"Luci, I don't want him to be dead." Steff says sadly as she walks over to his cooling embrace.

"I know Sweetheart… I know."

"Can I come out now?" Dean asks warily from behind a junk car.

"Yeah Dean I'm sorry." Steff apologizes as she walks over to him and hugs her brother tightly, "If it's any consolation, I probably wouldn't have burnt you to a crisp."

"I know you wouldn't have and I'm sorry about what I said. You aren't weak or powerless." Dean says apologetically pulling Steff deeper into a hug, but pulls his hand to her back he touches on of the feathers still hot from earlier. "Ouch!"

"Careful Dean I'm still hot." Steff says as she pulls Dean's hand into hers and heals it.

"That's what she said." Dean says with a smug smile.

"I suppose it is." Steff says with a sly smile and turns to notice something by her foot. It's Cas' dirty trench coat she picks it up and hugs it to her chest, then sees a small silver button that triggers Steff's memory. Steff looks up at the people having remembered something she did a long time ago in case something like this ever happened to him.

"Steff what is it?" Michael asks looking at her face of realization.

"Alive." Steff mumbles and everyone turns to her in curiosity.

"Whose alive?" Sam asks.

"Cas…. He's not dead!" Steff exclaims happily and turns to go get him, but Lucifer and Michael restrain her. "Let me go!"

"Steffanie explain." Michael orders her pissed at how she just tried to injure them, but is suddenly fine now that she has a hunch about his dead brother.

"Sweetheart I can't let you go I just found you." Lucifer says as he maintains his tight grip.

"Let go and I will show you." Steff lies and the angels release her. She immediately grabs the trench coat and flies off.

"Steff wait!" Lucifer shouts with rage, but is to late and when he tries to follow her he notices that she put up a barrier effectively covering her tracks.

"Where did she go?" Sam asks the angels worried about her.

"Sammy-boy if I had to guess I'd say she went to find Cas." Gabriel says as he appears on the ground as a cat.

"But Cas is dead, isn't he? Cas would never just leave his coat." Sam argues with the cat.

"Castiel… he is such an interesting brother. So full of surprises much more mysterious then Lucifer, no offense." Gabriel says as he sits next to Sam and licks his paw boredly.

"None taken Gabriel, but if you know where he is then you need to tell me now." Lucifer growls out with authority.

"Someone doesn't like when they're favorite impulsive toy leaves do they?" Gabriel mocks from the ground and Lucifer stalks over to him. "Scary." Gabriel says in mock fear.

"Oh I will be, give me about two seconds." Lucifer threatens as he raises a fist about to punch Gabriel.

"Brothers enough! This is finding neither Castiel or Steffanie." Michael growls at his younger brothers.

"Well neither of you have ever been able to find Steff… In fact I think it was Cas who could usually find her, but since he's gone all you guys can do is wait." Gabriel purrs out seeing as Sam had picked him up and started stroking him. All the angels and humans look at Sam in confusion.

"Sorry I'm nervous… it calms me alright… don't judge me!" Sam says as he strokes Gabriel's fur.

"Sammy you are the weirdest person I know… besides Steff." Dean says as he looks at his brother and shakes his head at his brother's weirdness.

"Steff used to let me pet her when I was nervous or anxious." Sam reminisces quietly as he strokes Gabriel.

"Yeah I know she used to let me do it too." Dean admits remembering the many times she would lie next to him in cat form when she was worried about a hunt or when Sam got sick. All of them were remembering the times Steff had comforted them, but they all realize that no one had ever comforted her unless they had seen something happen to her or she was crying. They are all just standing quietly until Steff shows up with Cas, a very cold and frozen looking Cas.

"I found him!" Steff exclaims breathlessly to them holding Cas protectively in her arms bridal style, which is very awkward for her considering he's bigger than her.

"Castiel!" Michael shouts and rushes over to his brother and tries to grab him. However Steff growls at Michael, and takes him inside to the couch. Once she puts him down she uses her fire to warm him up slowly, and slowly she manages to thaw him out.

"Steff." Cas croaks out his voice rougher than usual looking up at the angel before him.

"Yeah Cas it's me don't try to speak. Here drink this." Steff says comfortingly as she hands him a glass of warm water, and puts her warming hand to his hair ruffling it slightly. Cas nods and drinks the water, "Cas why don't you go to sleep we can talk later."

"My angel." Cas whispers quietly as he closes his eyes to sleep. Steff puts a blanket over him and turns into a cat. She settles next to him in case he needs something.

"Sweetheart is he gonna be okay?" Lucifer asks Steff worriedly as she curls closer to Cas and the angel curls closer to the warm body.

"Yes, he shall be fine in the morning. I suggest you leave Michael. Inform Balthazar, and my children of Castiel's return. Lucifer are you staying with me or leaving?" Steff says with the authority that no angel dares challenge, and Michael nods going back to Heaven.

"I shall stay, Hell can survive without me for a few hours." Lucifer says as he turns into a cat and settles onto the back of the couch.

"What are you four going to do?" Steff asks as she gestures to the rest of the men.

"I'm going to sleep ya idjits, good to have you and Cas back Steff." Bobby says as he heads up to bed.

"I think I'm going to bed too." Sam says as he puts Gabriel down, but Gabriel just follows him upstairs.

"He is so strange." Dean comments as he walks up the stairs to find Sam pushing Gabriel off his bed.

"Sammy please… I promise I'm a good snuggler." Gabriel pleads with big kitten eyes.

"Gabe go bother someone else." Sam mumbles having gotten tired of correcting the angel. Dean just laughs and settles onto his bed. All the Winchesters begin to fall into a deep sleep, the first one they have had in almost a year. Gabriel waits till he's sure Sam is asleep then crawls up onto the bed and settles in between his arms.

"Sammy can I sleep here, you're warm?" Gabriel begs quietly and Sam just moves his arm to the side inviting the cat in. Gabriel snuggles in and Sam pets him till they both fall asleep.


	28. Secrets Long Kept Hidden

Cas awakes the next morning to a warm furry body lying on his chest. He tries to move the body without waking it, but it just wakes the cat up. Steff seeing he's awake turns back into a person and moves off of him.

"Cas?"

"Steff where are we and how did I get here?" Cas asks as Steff grabs a glass of water from the kitchen and walks back to Cas. Cas drinks it and thanks Steff with a nod.

"You're in Bobby's living room and I brought you here… Your heavy you know that." Steff says with a smile as she hugs Cas.

"How did you find me?" Cas asks as he turns into a cat, then shakes his fur out. Steff just picks him up and settles back on the couch, petting him gently.

"Cas you remember when I gave you my feather?" Steff asks him while she scratches behind his ears.

"Yes." Cas purrs as he materializes the feather so it's on a thin silver collar around his neck dangling like a charm.

"Well I spelled the feather, so if I ever needed to find you I could." Steff explains as Cas turns around to face her.

"My angel." Cas purrs as he rubs his face on Steff's hand.

"Cas I'm sorry I left…. I'm sorry I made you do this." Steff says as tears streak down her face.

"It's not your fault… you didn't make me try to kill myself, or half of Hell." Cas says as he settles back into Steff's lap.

"Wait…what happened in Hell?" Steff asks as she stops petting Cas and turns into her cat form. Cas just sits next to her and she rubs her head on his in friendship. Neither of them notices when Lucifer, Dean, and Sam with Gabriel in his arms as a cat enter the living room. Steff figuring it's time for the truth after all of these years turns into her true form to at least show Cas. Which is a black cat with tiger stripes, and each stripe is a different color of the rainbow.

"Son of a bitch!" Dean blurts out; Steff freezes having heard him she instantly turns back into her normal person form.

"Steff what was that?" Sam asks as he walks over to Steff who has moved away from everyone and into the kitchen.

"What was what Sam?" Steff answers as she grabs a glass and fills it with whiskey then takes a big drink trying to stall this as long as possible.

"Steff don't answer his question with a question, just answer the first damn question. Plus who drinks this early in the morning?" Dean says as they all follow her into the kitchen.

"That was what I have always looked like, and Dean you drink all day long." Steff mumbles quietly as she takes another drink.

"Sweetheart what did you say?" Lucifer asks having heard her mumble something he just can't make it out.

"That's my true form as a feline, and my wings too." Steff says as she steps back a little, and then snaps her wings open wide. The group just watches in amazement as her wings shed their normal black and become rainbow colored. Her feathers were layered with each color of the rainbow. The feathers went in the order of the visible light spectrum meaning they start at red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and finally violet.

"How the hell did you hide that from me?" Lucifer says in amazement at his mate's control as he touches the colorful feathers.

"Well unlike you Luci, some of us actually have self-control." Steff says as she turns her feathers back into the normal color pattern.

"Keshet…." Cas whispers as he gawks at Steff and everyone turns to him.

"The rainbow… but I thought…" Lucifer trails off as he stares at Cas in disbelief.

"Violet was never it… Lucifer it was Steff all this time." Cas says as he walks next to Steff, and then puts a palm to her head as he begins to shift through her memories looking for something.

"Cas… what are you looking for?" Steff says trying not to grimace in pain, "Castiel stop now!" Steff orders when he gets closer to the memory he is searching for.

"Steff relax… I almost got it." Cas says knowing he has seconds to get it before Steff stops him.

"No!" Steff says as Cas pulls the memory out of her mind and plays it on the TV showing it so everyone can see.

Flashback

This was when Steff had been stuck in Hell right after she ran away from Lucifer after he finished putting his grace into her soul.

Steff had been running past pits, sprinting as fast as she could. Not even bothering to make note of her surroundings, just putting as much distance between her and Lucifer as she could. She makes a hasty left past the pit where Azazel once put her in, then taking a quick right into a dark corridor. Steff notices that her frantic breaths had begun to show in the air, and that's when she realizes she's in a place that's very dangerous for her… a place Lucifer swore he would never put back into, Alistair and Azazel's domain. However there's no turning back now as she sprints down the long corridor. In her panic to get away she crashes right into Azazel knocking him over and lands with a loud 'oomph'. He had been looking for something to play with, and much to his delight Lucifer's little angel plowed right into him.

"Ouch, I'm so sorry…" Steff trails off and her eyes widen in fear as she notices whom she knocked into.

"Now, now what do we have here?" Azazel says in his sickly sweet tone as he stands up, and pulls Steff to her feet.

"My apologies Azazel… I'll just be on my way." Steff says as she backs away from her former torturer.

"Now Steff where are you going, and where is Lucifer?" Azazel asks as he looks around for his leader, "Hard to believe he would leave his favorite Pet alone."

"Azazel… uhh… it's been nice, but I gotta go." Steff says shakily as she tries to move away from him, but he grabs her arm. He holds Steff close to him as he runs his forefinger along her jaw line.

"You know Steff it's dangerous for you to be all alone out here… Why don't you come with me, and we can go ask Alistair if he's seen Lucifer." Azazel says as he begins to drag Steff away with him, and she begins to struggle against his tight grip. In her struggle Azazel accidentally snaps her forearm bone and Steff cries out in pain.

"Let her go Azazel." An angel with six large, golden wings commands as he walks up to them drawn by a young girl's shout.

"Wyatt why would I ever do that?" Azazel asks with a sneer as he runs a hand along Steff's arm causing her to shiver and pull towards the new angel.

"Because if you don't I will tell Lucifer of your plans." Wyatt threatens as he moves closer to Steff, and places a gentle hand upon her other arm in a comforting gesture.

"Fine have her, I'll go play with something else." Azazel says walking off in a huff. Wyatt and Steff watch as Azazel grumbles off. Steff turns to the strange angel and nods thanks at him before she starts to walk off again, but he stops her by grabbing her hand.

"Secrets…Despair…Resilience… Death…Keshet." Wyatt says to her as his golden eyes glaze over and he falls to his knees.

"Hey pretty boy, are you okay?" Steff asks worriedly as she kneels down next to him helping him stand back up.

"Yes I'm fine, but what did I say to you?" Wyatt asks worriedly.

"Umm … secrets, despair, resilience, death, and Keshet why?" Steff asks noticing he has healed her arm.

"Keshet… well I'll be damned… again I guess." Wyatt says in reverence of the young girl in front of him. "How long have you been here Miss?"

"About 190 years give or take… So my winged, savior may I ask your name?" Steff answers casually. As she gazes at his beautiful golden wings with dark brown flecks, reminding her of a hawk's feather.

"Wyatt, fallen angel of the seventh circle of Hell, with an affiliation for prophecy. May I ask your full title milady?" Wyatt asks Steff as he begins to walk her back to the safety of Lucifer's care.

"Steffanie Marie Winchester, most call me Steff though…nice wings Wyatt. The gold's are very complementary to your demeanor. Bright, but not blinding and the browns are soothing almost having a calming effect after Azazel's blood red wings." Steff muses as she admires his wings noticing how Wyatt smiles at the compliments.

"Steff you need to go back to Lucifer it's dangerous out here." Wyatt says as he leads the girl back to Lucifer's house.

"What is a Keshet?" Steff asks him quickly as they walk back. Still about a block or two away, but Steff can see Lucifer sitting on the porch waiting for her to comeback… or be dragged back.

"It's Hebrew for rainbow… Meant to signal a savior of sorts… Like a beacon of light in a sea of perpetual darkness." Wyatt tells her as he escorts her back to the porch. Steff furrows her brow in confusion, but before she can ask what he means by that Lucifer sees them.

"Thank Father your alright, Sweetheart I was so worried I thought something had gotten you." Lucifer says, as he looks Steff over for injuries only to see her pull away from him. He just pulls her back gently and wraps her in his arms then wings, and looks to the angel who brought her back. "Wyatt?"

"Yeah Lucifer I found her being dragged away by Azazel. You should be more careful with this one she is real important." Wyatt says mysteriously, and then flies off.

"What did he say to you Sweetheart?"

"I'm not your Sweetheart, Lucifer."

"Tell me Steffanie."

"Go to Hell."

"To late we're already here, now tell me."

"Sorry it's my destiny not yours, so either shut up or torture me."

"Fine have it your way." Lucifer groans out in frustration as he drags Steff into the house with him locking the door behind them.

Flashback done.

After the memory finishes playing the TV shuts itself off.

"Did you know Wyatt died Luci?" Steff asks Lucifer as she walks over to the couch and sits down. "Just another friend I couldn't save." Steff mutters bitterly to herself.

"No I didn't. I thought he might have, but I wasn't sure that's why I never told you." Lucifer says remembering how Steff had been crushed when most of his fallen had died in the fight for Hell.

"Yes he died saving one of the fallen's mates it was when Alistair tried to take over… so many needless deaths… The younger angel had been captured, and Wyatt was the only one brave enough to help him." Steff answers, "The younger angel survived, but Wyatt took a blade to the heart through his back, so the youngling could escape." Steff finishes biting the inside of her cheek to stop the tears that have formed on her eyes.

"I'm sorry Sweetheart. He was the best prophet I have ever known." Lucifer says comfortingly.

"Who was Wyatt?" Sam asks.

"Wyatt was the first decent angel I ever met… before Castiel, Bernael, Marchosias, Xaphan, and Samael. Also the only prophetic angel I have ever met." Steff answers as she brushes her wings down making them a shade darker of black.

"Steff why do you hide the colors? They look pretty friggin' sweet." Dean says as he walks over to his sister's dark wings.

"Dean while the rainbow wings may look cool, really impractical especially in Hell or the dark." Steff comments as she turns them to a shade of forest green, and Dean smiles at them.

"Like a mood ring." Dean says in wonderment as he watches them change to a deep indigo.

"How long have you been hiding those wings?" Lucifer asks trying to remember when they had first grown in.

"Remember how you were upstairs when I finally woke up. Well in that twenty minutes I realized that to be normal they needed to be either dual colored or single colored, so I picked black with indigo." Steff answers ashamedly as she turns them back to their normal pattern.

"When has a Winchester ever been normal?" Bobby asks with a smile.

"Hey I resent that!" Sam says as he puts Gabriel down, much to Gabriel's disdain.

"Well, well The Rainbow… although it's not surprising considering you." Gabriel says as he turns back into a person, and inspects Steff's wings. He pulls a feather out then watches as it turns into a plain white one. "How do you manage to keep the feather you gave Cas black with the indigo?"

"It's not hard." Steff says with a casual shrug as she turns the feather into an exact copy of Wyatt's golden feather. "Just a little concentration." As she says that she turns the feather into pure flame then makes the ashes dissipate into the air.

"Hmm…. Luci, she would make a wonderful trickster." Gabriel comments with a playful smile as he dusts his hands off on his jeans.

"That would be so much fun!" Steff says animatedly as she turns to Gabriel with excitement.

"No." Lucifer says in blatant refusal, his mate had enough going for her as is.

"Oh come on Luci, let the girl live a little." Gabriel argues with him.

"No, she lives to much for my liking already."

"Why not?"

"No brother."

"Lucifer, imagine the chaos we could cause." Gabriel says in excitement.

"No Gabriel."

"Please."

"No."

"Do I even get a say?" Steff interjects.

"No!" They both say at once still arguing. Steff, Sam, and Dean just stare at the arguing angels and laugh. After about two minutes of listening to them bicker back and forth. The Winchester siblings realize this isn't going to stop anytime soon, leave the room. All three of them walk outside towards the junkyard then jump into the Impala; no one notices the creature lurking in the distance.

"So she's the Keshet." The thing hisses out quietly from it's hiding spot. It just smiles to itself as it moves back into the forest and whips out a cell phone. "It's her."

"How do you know?" Something answers from the other side of the line.

"The angels confirmed it and I saw the feathers." It replies.

"Most excellent…" It says as it let's out an evil laugh.


	29. Turn Your Winchester into an Animal Day

About six months have passed

"Dean catch!" Steff shouts as she tosses him a silver knife. Dean catches it and buries it hilt deep into the skinwalker's chest. "Sam move!" Steff shouts as she pushes Sam out of the way of an in coming set of claws. She uses her power to send out a cobra of indigo fire that wraps itself around the skinwalker's throat. Distracting it while Dean comes in with the silver knife and stabs it in the heart. The body drops to the ground dead. Sam and Dean look around the room to see if there are any more skinwalkers that they missed, but they see none.

"I think that's all of them Steff." Sam says as he dusts off himself off while looking at the bodies.

"Stay here, I'll do a quick once around." Steff orders, however as she is about to take off but Dean grabs her arm.

"Steff I'm the oldest here, I make the calls." Dean says trying to reassert his weakening authority.

"Dean you may be older, but I am much more powerful… so thus I won't be as susceptible to attack." Steff explains gently as she shakes off Dean's grip.

"Yeah … well…fine, just be careful." Dean grumbles as he picks up his dropped gun and Steff disappears.

"Dean-o you really got to stop trying to boss her around, she could easily kill you." Gabriel gloats as he shows up next to them eating a sucker.

"Ahh!" Both Winchester's say as they jump slightly at his presence.

"What!" Steff says having heard the outcry, came flying in as a lioness. Steff sees the unidentified threat and tackles him to the ground with a roar.

"I bet Lucifer loves when you tackle him Kitten." Gabriel says with a smile while looking up from under Steff.

"Oh it's just you…. Sorry." Steff apologizes as she turns back into a person while walking over to Sam and Dean. Gabriel walks over to Sam and heals him, while Steff goes over to Dean and heals him.

"Awe Sammy you have an angel." Dean mocks him.

"Shut up Dean before he turns you into a cat." Steff warns him, but Dean keeps going. All Dean hears is the snap of Gabriel's fingers before he is a cat. "I told you so." Steff gloats as she picks up cat Dean and pets him. Although Steff just nods to Gabriel in understanding when Sam is turned into a puppy.

"What is this, turn your Winchester into animal day or something?" Balthazar interjects as he shows up too.

"Let's hope not cause if Cas even tries I'll bite him." Steff says with a knowing smile as she readjusts Dean in her arms.

"Darling you're so kinky." Balthazar says with a laugh and opens his arms for Dean. Steff hands him over to him hesitantly. "I won't hurt him Steff, wouldn't want an angry lioness on my ass."

"So to what do I owe the pleasure of your guy's company," Steff says as she attempts to hooks a leash to Sam but he keeps fidgeting, "Sammy come here please."

"Is the leash really necessary Steff?" Sam asks while biting at Steff's hand.

"Sam you are very excitable as a puppy so just chill." Steff argues as she clips the leash on and hands it to Gabriel.

"Keshet come with usss." Two creatures order as they appear into the room.

"Gabe, Balth get them out of here." Steff orders and the two angels disappear with the boys quickly.

Motel

"Wait what are you guys doing?" Dean asks as he is put in a cat carrier and Sam is tied to a bedpost.

"Chill out you two it's just a precaution." Gabriel says as he snaps his fingers placing a bowl of water in Dean's cage and one next to Sam. "Steff should be here in 3…2…1."

They all wait in anticipation of Steff's arrival, but it doesn't come and after about four hours they begin to get worried. Gabriel turns the boys back to people and begins to pace.

"Gabriel what were those things?" Sam asks as he notices the worried look that has come over Gabe's face while he paces around the room.

"Those were… um…. uh…" Gabriel stalls trying to think of a good thing to tell them.

"Stop stalling and tell us." Dean growls, as he advances towards Gabriel.

"What Gabriel is trying to say is that… uh… yeah I got nothing." Balthazar says with a shrug.

"Really helpful Balthazar… how did you ever become a guardian angel? Let alone get a student, seriously how did you get a student?" Gabriel asks while giving Balthazar a questioning look.

"I was very persuasive and hey I have saved my fair share damsel's in distress… at least I didn't runaway when Michael told me to watch the Keshet." Balthazar points out and Sam's mouth drops open.

"You were supposed to be Steff's guardian angel. Oh thank God you quit, Steff would have never lived this long." Dean says in relief silently thanking God for Castiel.

"Hey for your information Dean-o, I made a wonderful guardian…. And Balthy, I didn't runaway, I just didn't want to be in charge of that girl's safety, way too much responsibility for me… I'd have rather been Sammy's angel." Gabriel argues as he moves closer to Sam.

"Is she back yet?" Cas asks worriedly as he appears in the motel room.

"No." Balthazar tells him solemnly.

"This is worrisome news." Cas says with calculating look wondering what could possibly be taking her so long.

"Does anyone want to inform us of what is going on?" Sam asks ignoring Gabe's comment about being his angel…. Truthfully he wouldn't have minded that either.

"No not really… it's more of angel business than humans." Gabriel interjects. Sam and Dean go quiet after that trying to think of a good come back, but before they can Steff appears.

"God I hate the supernatural." Steff curses as she limps over to the bed and sits down.

"What happened?" Cas asks while he walks over to Steff and puts his hand to her head in an attempt to heal her, but can't.

"Cas it was bad… I killed the two things, but they did some weird magic on me." Steff answers as she notices she has began to shrink a little. "Awe hell!"

"Did you just..." Gabriel starts, but is stopped by Steff's loud high-pitched groan. As she groans a bright white light fills the room, and Steff is transformed into a younger version of herself about the age six.

"Steff are you?"

"Yes, Dean I'm little again." Steff answers swiftly while she pouts her little arms.

"Oh my Michael! That's the cutest thing I have ever seen!" Gabriel exclaims as he walks over to the bed and croons at Steff. She just grabs a feather on his wing and pulls it out causing him to jerk back in surprise.

"Take a picture Gabe it will last longer." Steff says bitterly as she falls back against the bed with a loud oomph. "I'm going for a walk." Steff announces after a few minutes of lying there silently.

"Steff you can't at least not alone, it's dangerous." Cas says as he stops the young girl.

"Castiel I can do whatever the hell I want!" Steff says angrily as she storms out the room leaving the men in shock.

"Should we…" Balthazar starts, but is interrupted by a young angel's angry shout. They all go outside to see Steff face down on the ground in the parking lot.

"Steff are you?"

"AHHH!" Steff shouts in anger as she stands up and attempts to fly again, only to end up face down on the cement again.

"Darling I think you should stop it isn't working." Balthazar suggests gently trying to get the determined angel to stop.

"Shut up Balthy!" Steff shouts angrily as she attempts to fly again only to fall to the ground again, where she just proceeds to lie there in defeat.

"Steff he does have a point." Dean points out while he walks over to Steff still lying face down on the cement wings sprawled out around her. "Come on Steff let's go before someone notices you dropping out of the sky repeatedly." Dean says as he offers a hand to Steff, but she smacks it away. Then she pushes past the angels, and her brothers while storming back to the room.

"She's upset." Michael states as he shows up. Steff having heard him snaps her fingers, and a banded sea snake made of bright blue fire wraps itself around Michael's body. Michael kills the snake quickly then they all follow Steff into the room, only to notice her sitting on the couch with her wings wrapped around her. Hiding her like a black cocoon.

"Steff how are you feeling other than the size reduction?" Sam asks while walking over to the couch. Steff looks up at Sam with big tearful blue eyes.

"I don't want to be wittle." Steff states sadly. All of the men's hearts melt at the sight of little Steff crying, and realize the spell has reverted her mind back to that of a younger child maybe the age of nine or ten. The boys grimace quietly when they remember how impulsive and quick to anger she was at that age.

"Cas how long will this last you think?" Balthazar asks as he looks to Cas, then pets Steff's wings soothingly and smiles when she leans into the touch. He just sits down beside her and she crawls into his lap, then snuggles into his chest.

"I have no clue Balthazar." Cas says sadly and watches as Steff bursts into tears again. Balthazar just does his best to consol her, but she flinches from his touches.

"Steff it's okay, you'll be okay." Michael says trying to comfort her and Steff just crawls off of Balthazar's lap.

"Shut up Michael!" Steff shouts at him with tears streaking down her face as she storms into the bathroom then slams the door behind her.

"I don't think she likes you very much right now Michael." Dean states as he walks over to his bed and lays down on it.

"Yeah I can see that Dean." Michael says wondering what he did to set the young angel off, but seeing that their jobs were done Gabriel, Michael, and Balthazar go. Castiel however does something very surprising he unlocks the bathroom door. To find Steff sitting in the bathtub crying, and approaches the distraught angel.

"Cas…" hiccup, "I…don't" hiccup, " wanna… be a little girl." Steff manages to stutter out.

"Shhh, Steff it will be alright…. Cas' here now, shhh come here… Steff you need to relax before you make yourself sick…" Cas says comfortingly to the little angel while he picks her up. He walks her back out to the living area of the motel room to find Dean dozing off in his bed, and Sam researching on his laptop. Sam looks up from the screen to see Castiel humming softly as he rocks little Steff to sleep. Little Steff falls asleep on Cas' shoulder while softly snoring against it. Sam just smiles at him and watches as Cas sits down on the couch with her.

"Cas you can leave her there, or on my bed if you need to leave." Sam says as he closes his laptop's lid.

"It's fine Sam I don't have to leave yet, Balthazar is taking my prayers for the night." Cas says as he listens to little Steff cough harshly then shiver. Sam just nods, and walks over to his bed and turns off the lamp then goes to sleep.


	30. But the Lore Says!!!!

When Cas awoke early in the morning he noticed Steff was no longer resting on his chest. Worried that someone or something might have taken her in the night. He gets up quickly only to notice the bathroom door shut and the light on. He walks over and listens at the door. Hearing heaving from inside Cas opens the door to see little Steff hunched over the toilet puking.

"Steff are you ok?"

"Cas I don't…" Steff starts, but can't finish as she pukes into the toilet. Cas just approaches her and pets her wings soothingly.

"You'll be alright." Cas soothes the young sick angel.

"Cas why are you doing this?" Steff asks when she finally stops puking for more then a minute.

"I'm a guardian angel remember…. it's what I do." Cas responds as he tries to heal Steff, but he notices that it isn't a germ causing the sickness. Rather a sickness brought on by a spell, and it is directly affecting her grace. However he can't locate where it starts, so he can't heal her.

"Cas can't you fix this?" Steff whimpers while lying down on the cool tile, easing her burning body.

"Steff I wish I could, but this is a sickness of your grace." Cas says regretfully as he uses his powers to cool her burning body slightly, and when he does this she just whimpers in relief.

"But," Steff says while big tears run down her face, "Cas it," sniffle, "Hurts."

"I know Steff…" Cas says in a comforting manner as he picks the girl up, and lays her on Sam's bed then whispers to her. "Steff I have to go now, but Lucifer should be here later. If he's not Balthazar or Gabriel should be."

"Cas don't leave me." Steff begs as she reaches out towards him with her small hand grasping tightly onto his coat, uneasy about him leaving her to face this alone.

"Steff I need to…"

"It's fine Cas, I got the littlest Winchester." Gabriel says as he shows up and walks over to Steff. Cas nods his head in thanks then disappears.

"Gabe." Steff says as she crawls off the bed slowly then walks over to the angel. Who picks her up and makes his body a few degrees lower. Steff just sighs in relief as he strides over to the couch then sits down. She lays her head on his thigh while he puts a blanket over her as she shivers violently.

"You need to rest Kitten, it's the only way to get better." Gabriel says as he strokes her sweat-dampened wings.

"Ok Gabriel…." Steff agrees sleepily as she curls into Gabriel's side. Gabriel smiles at her and continues to stroke her wings comfortingly as she falls asleep.

Later That Morning

Dean and Sam awake to the sound of Steff arguing with Gabriel.

"Gabriel I don't want it." Steff whines as he tries to give her some soup as she coughs harshly and deeply.

"Steff you need to eat." Gabriel urges as he tries to get her to eat it. He's just a finger snap away from restraining her and forcing her to eat it.

"No." Steff declares angrily as she gets up from the couch and walks towards the door.

"Steff get back here." Gabriel orders, but Steff just continues out the door. Sam and Dean watch as Steff exits and Gabriel sighs tiredly.

"What happened?" Dean asks curious as to why their sister left.

"She's sick, and won't eat because she just finished throwing up for about two hours." Gabriel explains with frustration to the men.

"Oh…." Dean grimaces remembering when Steff and Sam had both gotten food poisoning from a seedy diner they had told Dean was bad.

"How did she get sick?" Sam asks curiously, he didn't even know angels could get sick.

"Whatever put her under the spell also weakened her immunity, and after that last fight with the creatures she must have caught something." Gabriel explains to the brothers.

"So this sickness affects only angels?" Sam asks Gabriel.

"Yes only angels, and since we aren't hurt it will only affect her."

"Shouldn't we go after her, since she seems to have the look and attitude of a child." Dean points out to them as he goes to the door and pulls it open. Gabriel sighs and stands up then walks towards the door with Sam. When the men go outside they notice that Steff isn't in the parking lot or in the Impala.

Twenty minutes later

"Guys did you find her?" Sam asks worriedly as he comes back from the small park that was across the street.

"No, she wasn't in the Impala." Dean answers as him, Gabriel, and Sam go to the manager's desk.

"How can I help you gentlemen?" The manager asks politely with a smile on her face.

"Have you seen a little girl about six years old, with red hair, and about 3 foot high?" Dean asks the manager politely.

"Umm no I haven't seen her…. Would you like me to call the police?" The manager suggests helpfully.

"No it's fine." Sam tells her with a worried look on his face.

"If I see her I'll let you gentlemen know… Can I ask your relation to the girl?" The manager asks worried that the men might be kidnappers or something worse.

"We're her uncles and this is her father." Sam explains to her while pointing to Dean.

"Okay well if I see her I will be sure to let you know. I hope you find her." The manager says as Sam, Dean, and Gabriel walk back out of the lobby. Once back in the parking lot Dean punches the wall in anger and frustration.

"Dammit we lost her again!"

"Dean calm down that's not finding her any faster." Gabriel says as he heals Dean's hand. The men wander around back to the motel room, and pack their stuff getting ready to leave once they find Steff. After loading up the Impala Steff still hasn't returned, and the men are really starting to worry. They wait the rest of the day before another angel shows up to switch out with Gabriel, its Cas.

"Hey Gabriel you can go now." Cas says as he flashes into the room, but notices they're short one Winchester and a look of horror flashes onto his face, "Where is she?"

"Cas we can't find her, she has been gone all day." Dean informs him worriedly, his usual calm tone replaced with a slight panicky tone.

"What… How did you lose her already?" Cas asks in worry since she's a child, and very, very sick.

"Cas it's not as easy as you think it is. She just stormed out on me I figured she would come back, but she hasn't…" Gabriel rambles on to Cas.

"You had one job brother! … I knew it…. I should've called Balthazar when you showed up… you have always been so… First you run from being her guardian… then when we think we could trust you…. For the love of our father you're so…." Cas rants at Gabriel who just stands there and accepts his younger brother's yelling.

"Irresponsible." Gabriel finishes Cas' sentence with a down cast look, "I'm sorry, I never thought this was gonna happen."

"Yeah well now our sick, six year old sister is out in god knows where, with god knows who." Dean shouts at Gabriel angrily.

"Dean I'm…"

"Yeah we know Gabriel your sorry… well sorry doesn't bring her back, now does it." Dean growls at him while him, and Sam walk out to the Impala.

"Where are you going?" Cas asks wondering where the brothers could possibly go right now.

"We're gonna go look for her." Sam says while he gets in the car, and Dean drives off into town looking for signs of Steff. The first place they look is in the hospital, but find nothing. So they continue onto the library only to be told that a little girl with Steff's description had come in saying she was lost. The librarians had offered to call the police, but the girl had politely told them 'no'. The men all out of ideas go to the diner, and ask the waitress while picking up dinner.

"Oh Sugar, do you mean that sweet little red head? Yeah she came in here with a man… he said he was her father… though she looked nothing like him." The waitress recalls.

"What did the man look like?" Dean asks glad to finally have a real lead.

"Well he had sandy blonde hair and green eyes, talked with a hiss kinda sounded like a snake. Also he was pale but not albino pale, and if I had to guess about six foot five." The waitress answers, trying to recall anything else for the two worried men as she hands them their food.

"Thank you for the food and all your help." Sam says gratefully as he and Dean walk back to the car.

"Cas! Gabriel!" Dean shouts out.

"Have you found her?" Gabe asks hopefully, but the angels notice no Steff.

"Is there anything interested in killing the Keshet?" Dean asks Cas.

"Yes, just about every evil thing in this dimension and the next."

"Well, what talks with a hiss, about six foot five, and pale with sandy blonde hair." Dean says giving Cas the description. Cas and Gabriel both begin to think, trying to think of a creature to fit the description.

"The only being I can think of that could be capable of being under the our radar would be a…" Cas starts.

"Nathair dóiteáin." Gabriel finishes, "But what would one be doing so far away from Ireland?"

"I don't know brother, but what could it possibly want with Steff." Cas questions.

"What the hell is a nathair dóiteáin?" Dean blurts out, having no clue what the hell that is.

"It's a supernatural creature that preys on children who runaway from their parents. Once it finds them it either kills them, or if it likes the child they offer to turn them into a nathair dóiteáin like them." Gabriel explains to the brothers.

"Okay, but what are they?" Sam asks feeling like he has heard of something like that before.

"Their name literally translates from Irish to English as fire serpent. These creatures have control over fire and have a snake form. Usually they dwell in Ireland on the moor plains or in the forests." Cas chimes in.

"Okay, but how do we kill it?" Dean asks.

"Dean these creatures can't be killed. They are only reborn not killed, even an angel blade wouldn't kill them." Gabriel says to him.

"What! …How are we supposed to get Steff back then?"

"Um… maybe we could just ask…. Has anyone informed Lucifer of this yet?" Sam suggests hopefully.

"Informed me of what?" Lucifer asks finally able to come back from his work in Hell.

"Speak of the devil…. well who wants to tell him?" Sam says and Lucifer looks to him in confusion.

"Since this is your fault Gabriel, I think he should tell him." Dean says and Gabriel accepting defeat explains what has happened to Lucifer.

A solid ten minutes later

"You imbecile!" Lucifer says as he pins Gabriel to the ground with his hand on his throat.

"Lucifer I'm…"

"Don't even bother Gabriel…. When I find her you are to leave, and father help me if I ever find out you go near her again." Lucifer yells as he punches Gabriel in the mouth with his other hand, then gets off him and kicks him in the wings. Cas seeing that Lucifer isn't going to stop pulls Lucifer off of Gabriel.

"I'm…"

"Shut up Gabriel, before I let him go." Cas threatens as he pulls Lucifer back as they leave Gabriel on the ground.

"So Cas, Lucifer how do we find her?" Dean asks as they begin to formulate a plan to track the creature. Sam looks to the hurt angel with a torn expression, Gabriel looks to Sam, and Sam just shakes his head in disappointment. Gabriel just sheds a single tear then flies away unable to take the man's disappointment.

Steff and the nathair dóiteáin

"Eagan I wanna go home please." Steff whines as she twists her little hand out of Eagan's grip.

"Sweetie you should have thought about that before you ran away. Now are you coming peacefully, or am I going to have to hurt you?" Eagan asks not wanting to hurt the sick and frightened girl, but he can only stand so much whining as they walk out of the town. About four miles away since he found her this morning.

"You can't kill me." Steff states defiantly while backing away from Eagan.

"Oh really, well what makes you say that Sweetie?" Eagan asks having thought something was different with this girl.

"I'm the Keshet." Steff says proudly while flaring her wings out, trying to look as intimidating as a six year old angel can with rainbow wings. Eagan just laughs at the little angel he managed to capture.

"Well then my beag tuar ceatha why are you all alone?"

"Because I…. Uh… What's a bage taur cathaea?" Steff asks unfamiliar with his Irish.

"Sweetie not bage taur cathaea… Beag tuar ceatha means little rainbow in Irish." Eagan answers glad to see the angel is thinking about something else while she pleasantly walks back over to him.

"Keshet means rainbow too, except in Hebrew." Steff says cheerily as she re-grabs Eagan's hand again as they cross a street. But Eagan doesn't look both ways and a semi truck runs them down as it tries to stop, but can't. "Eagan!" Steff shouts as he pushes her out of the way to safety. A few minutes pass and Steff rushes out to the pale man seeing him bleeding in the street. Steff forgets that this man is her captor as her angel instincts kick in, even with her sickness she knew she needed to save him. She puts her hands on his body, and heals his wounds bringing Eagan back to life. Eagan who's shocked at the fact that his powers didn't bring him back, but rather it was the girl he was currently kidnapping.

"You weren't kidding were you beag taur ceatha." Eagan says in shock at the little angel before him as he rests on his elbows in the street.

"Nope and I'm not really six either." Steff says as the spell finally wears off and in a bright flash of light she turns back to her normal age. However she notices that the sickness begins to intensify rapidly, but she ignores it as she uses her powers to heal the truck driver. Then wipes this from his memory sending him back on his merry way.

"I guess your not, but still why did you save me?" Eagan questions the sick angel.

"Well… uhh… to be honest I have no clue. It's like a reflex with me, and since you didn't actually hurt me we're cool…. for now, but why did you take me to begin with?" Steff says in between coughs.

"It's my job as a nathair dóiteáin, we grab runaway children and take them in. Since I saw you run out of that motel room from all those men, I assumed you were trying to get away from them. We nathairs take them to a place where our kind cares for them till they reach adult age and go out into the world. Once they leave most of them turn into social workers, run orphanages, or even become foster parents." Eagan explains, "We have never ever hurt a single child in our entire existence. But since our animal forms are usually poisonous snakes hunters, angels, and humans assume we're dangerous."

"Really…" Steff says as she let's out a cough that shakes her whole body. Eagan helps the sick angel to sit down on the side of the road.

"Beag taur ceatha are you all right?" Eagan asks worriedly.

"I'll be," harsh cough, "fine." Steff says with a smile and leans on Eagan. "You should go Eagan."

"Beag taur ceatha what kind of nathair dóiteáin would I be if I left you here, even if you aren't a child? Especially one who saved me and raised her children to be such upstanding angels." Eagan answers with a smile as he rubs her back as she wheezes while trying to catch her breath. "Slow breaths beag taur ceatha… slow breaths."

"You…" cough, "have heard of them." Steff manages to choke out.

"Yes we have met. They have saved some of the children I was sent to get. Violet has saved my charges and I from some nasty storms on our way back to the camp." Eagan says with a smile as he watches Steff close her eyes after a particularly bad cough.

"Eagan… I can't… Lucifer." Steff says as she passes out from lack of oxygen.

"LUCIFER!" Eagan shouts into the air not knowing what else to do.

Dean, Sam, and Lucifer

In the middle of the tracking spell Lucifer hears someone calling him. He flashes out to where it comes from, and finds normal Steff laying in the arms of the man Dean described earlier.

"Help her she can't breathe." Eagan says frantically to the angel he assumes is Lucifer.

"Who are you?"

"I will explain later you must save her now." Eagan says while Lucifer approaches them. Lucifer nods and puts his hand into Steff's soul, shoving his grace into her body pulling her back from the jaws of death. Steff's eyes flutter open as to see that Eagan and Lucifer are smiling down at her.

"Lucifer?"

"Yes Sweetheart it's me."

"Eagan run!" Steff says as she tries to get up, but her body is racked with a harsh cough forcing her back to the ground.

"Beag taur ceatha why would I run?"

"He'll… hurt…. Run." Steff tries to force out, but ends up in a coughing fit that is so bad her wings shake.

"Beag taur ceatha it's fine he won't hurt me, but you need calm down… slow breaths." Eagan says as he reassures the flustered angel.

"Sweetheart I need to take you to the boys before they lose their minds…even more than usual."

"Where's Gabriel?" Steff asks wondering what happened to the archangel. Lucifer says nothing as he transports all three of them back to the Impala, which is still in the diner parking lot.

"Steff?" Dean says as him, Cas, and Sam approach Lucifer, Steff and the strange man.

"Dean." Steff says with a rough cough that shakes her to the core, and she leans on Lucifer for support. "Eagan you can go now, thanks for everything."

"Beag taur ceatha, you need to rest and I will leave when I know you are safe." Eagan says and right as he finishes Cas tackles him to the ground angel blade at his throat.

"Die, nathair dóiteáin!" Cas says, as he is about to plunge the blade in. Steff puts the last of her strength and breath into pushing Cas off him.

"Cas…" cough, "no!" Steff stutters into another coughing fit. She falls over to the side after her meager attempt to move the angel away from Eagan. "Eagan." Steff chokes out as the world fades to black.

"Beag taur ceatha!" Eagan shouts as he pushes the angel off of him and moves to Steff. He checks for a pulse and is relieved when he finds a weak one.

"Who the hell are you?" Dean shouts at the stranger checking Steff's pulse.

"I am Eagan a nathair dóiteáin from the northern region of Ireland. This morning I found Steff wandering around the library parking lot lost, alone, and very sick. It is my duty to take her back to our camp to care for her." Eagan explains to them and watches as they all begin to advance to him. So he just leans closer to his beag taur ceatha in an attempt to shield her.

"Get away from her you monster." Sam says as he points a gun at Eagan.

"Please my kind and I have nor would we ever harm an innocent adult or child." Eagan tells them as he picks Steff up in his arms.

"Put her down!" Lucifer orders to him.

"She needs help, and if you refuse to help her. I will take her to a place where she will be cared for." Eagan says with authority as he begins to walk away with Steff.

"Give me my sister Eagan." Dean orders as he approaches him and takes his sister forcefully from his arms.

"Eagan…" Steff whispers out from Dean's arms. "Thank you Eagan, but…. Go I'll be fine my caomhnóir nathair." At this Eagan bows his head and turns to leave.

"Goodbye beag taur ceatha I hope we meet again." Eagan says as he turns into a forest cobra and reluctantly slithers across the parking lot.

"Say hello to Violet and Seth if you see them." Steff shouts after him as she gets out of Dean's arms, only to be racked with another coughing fit.

"You should stop smoking four packs a day Steff." Sam says jokingly as he pats her back gently.

"Yeah I know, but it's a guilty pleasure." Steff says as she walks over to the Impala, and gets in lying down on the backseat.

"Steff are you alright, did Eagan hurt you?" Cas asks as he joins Steff in the Impala's backseat. Steff just shakes her head, and coughs herself into a fit again. Cas sits there and rubs her back soothingly.

"They don't hurt children Cas they save them. Eagan thought I was in danger from Dean, Sam, and Gabriel so when I ran out he followed me, but then I got lost. He said he was going to take me home when he found me, and I assumed that he meant back to you guys." Steff says with a laugh and a small raspy cough.

"But the lore says…"

"Yeah because angels and books have never been wrong before." Steff says sarcastically as she slips back into a coughing fit, only this time she notices there's blood. She just wipes her hand quickly on her pants hiding it.

"I see." Cas says as he notices the blood Steff was trying to hide.

"Cas I'm tired…" Steff says as she turns into a cat and curls up on the seat.

"Go to sleep Angel." Cas says as he takes off his coat then spreads it out and lays Steff on top of it gently. He then leaves Steff, and goes back out into the parking lot with the others.

"She is very sick, but I have no clue why. Her grace is fine, her blood is healthy, but for some reason her lungs are dying. There are no viruses, no bacteria, and no trace of a spell anywhere." Cas tells the men in confusion of why his perfectly healthy charge is dying.

"Is there anything we can do?" Dean asks worried for his sister.

"Other than make her comfortable… I can think of nothing." Cas says sadly. So far Lucifer and Sam have said nothing, just standing there solemnly. Neither really wanting to think of what happens when her lungs finally fail.

"How long?" Lucifer whispers, dreading the thought of her death.

"Two or three minutes, maybe four." Cas says solemnly to his brother.

"No…" The Winchester brother's utter quietly. Cas can do nothing, but nod his head solemnly. They all go to the car to find a now human Steff sitting in the Impala with a Cas' coat in her hands, forced back awake by her dreadful coughing.

"Cas I'm sorry…" Steff apologizes as she motions to the bloodstains.

"It's okay Steff… I'll make Balthazar clean it." Cas says as he hugs the girl gently; noticing all the solemn stares Steff figures she has little time left. She can't help, but give them one last sad smile before she goes.

"I'm sor …" Steff starts, but her body is racked with coughs. So bad that it causes her to convulse, and the men watch in horror as the light finally leaves her eyes that close as her body goes limp.

"Steff… Steff…. Sweetheart!" Lucifer says as he picks up her body and tries to push grace into it, but as he does her body bursts into ashes. Cas just sits there staring blankly; Sam and Dean have broken into tears as they watch Lucifer cry over his dead mate. Nearby Eagan watches the scene unfold and whispers into the sky in anguish, "Beag taur cathea…"

Heaven

Michael who had been training angels suddenly feels Steff's bond with him fade even more then a normal barrier. He finishes the lesson and quickly then flies to Lucifer. Gabriel and Balthazar had also felt that something had happened, they too flew down to Lucifer and the Winchesters.

Back on Earth

When the angels get there they find Lucifer crying by a pile of ashes on the ground, Cas looking blank faced, and the Winchesters crying.

"Is she…?" Michael asks, but knows the answer to his question by the look Lucifer gives him, also by the fact that the Winchester men are crying.

"She can't…" Gabriel starts, but is stopped by the glare he receives from Cas and Lucifer.

"What did I tell you Gabriel?" Lucifer threatens while turning to face his brother.

"Steff was my friend too." Gabriel says defiantly as he meets his brother's glare.

"Stop it you two." Balthazar says quietly, "Can't you just get over your petty arguments for once… She's dead!" All the angels turn to him, but turn back when a bright light comes from the ash. The angels just stare in shock at what happens next.


	31. Truth Be Told

Suddenly from the pile of ash a small black kitten comes forth. Then turns into Steff with nothing different other than an indigo scar in the shape of a bow and arrow on the back of her left hand.

"Steff?" Lucifer says in disbelief as he approaches her.

"No it's your grandmother… who else would I be?" Steff says sarcastically and Lucifer rushes forward then wraps her in a hug. "Luci, I was gone for like ten minutes at most… chill." Steff says as she wraps her legs and wings around him.

"Ten minutes to long." Lucifer says joyfully as he kisses her, and doesn't stop for about a solid five minutes.

"Luci, can't breathe…" Steff chokes out as she pulls away and gets off him.

"How… what… huh?" Dean and Sam verbalize in confusion, tears drying.

"Was it our Father?" Michael asks hoping their dad has returned. To be honest Michael had begun to resent his job as the ruler of Heaven, he had begun to envy Lucifer. At least he got to leave Hell once in a while, plus he had a mate, and even two beautiful children.

"I think so, he told me that I still had work to do, and that I should pull the hex bag out of my chest." Steff says as she holds out her hand to Michael showing him the hex bag, and the weird marking on the back of her hand.

"A bow and arrow?" Michael says in confusion as he inspects the scar.

"The bow represents strength and resilience." Cas chimes in glad his favorite charge, and best friend is still alive.

"The arrow stands for power, grace, and flexibility." Gabriel tells them.

"Together it symbolizes the Huntress." Balthazar says quietly with a smile.

"So what did father say to you?" Michael asks hopefully, "Is he coming back soon?"

"Michael… he… uh… no Michael he's not coming back. He said that you're doing a great job, so he doesn't need to come back." Steff informs him sadly.

"But…"

"Michael it's alright we don't need father." Lucifer says to him trying to cheer him up.

"That's the reason you fell Lucifer…"

"Brother what…. How can… never mind." Lucifer says, as he turns from his distraught brother back to his newly returned angel.

"Michael you have been running Heaven for a long time. I'm sure you can continue, Father will return when he is needed." Balthazar says trying to comfort his eldest brother.

"Anyways what did Father tell you Steff other than that?" Gabriel asks changing the subject.

"He told me I had to continue to protect humanity, continue to keep order on Earth, and just basically keep doing what I was doing. Although he told me that I should stop saving polar bears in Antarctica. Plus that Luci and I shouldn't have any more children, but that's not a surprise to me, I don't want any more kids. They're emotionally exhausting." Steff says to them avoiding how God had told her that she might need to take over Heaven at a later point in time.

"I knew it!" Lucifer says as he reads Steff's mind.

"Know what?" Steff asks suspiciously.

"You and I both know what."

"Don't say it or I swear to your father I'll cut you!"

"Sweetheart he should know!"

"If you tell him I will leave you… I'll… I'll go to Purgatory." Steff threatens him, which effectively shuts him up. "Good boy." The other angels look at her wondering what could be so awful that she threatened Purgatory.

"Steff what should 'he' not know?" Michael asks curious as to what could be so awful.

"That in the future Dean loses his hair." Steff lies quickly, and watches as Dean rubs the top of his head sadly.

"Sorry Dean, but in the future I will get you some Rogaine foam." Steff says and Sam bursts into laughter.

"It's not funny bitch."

"Yes it is jerk. You think it will all fall out or just recede?" Sam questions while he laughs. Dean glowers at him then punches him in the side. "Ow!"

"That's what bitches get." Dean replies shortly as he storms over to the Impala. The angels, Steff, and Sam just watch as Dean pouts in the Impala.

"Is he?"

"Yup he's full on pouting… well seeing as today has resolved itself. I think it's time we all go. Sam I'll be in the car, angels I will see you guys later." Steff says as she turns into a cat then joins Dean in the Impala. Michael, Gabriel, and Balthazar all leave.

"So what did she really say Lucifer?" Sam asks once the other angels leave.

"Yes ceann dorcha what is happening?" Eagan says as he comes forth from the shadows.

"Eagan?"

"Yes I never left, I wanted to see if my beag taur ceatha made it."

"Your what?" Sam and Lucifer say as they turn to face Eagan.

"My beag taur ceatha it means little rainbow in Irish." Eagan says and watches Lucifer stiffen slightly. "Lucifer what's wrong?"

"She is mine, you filthy nathair dóiteáin, mine!" Lucifer says possessively.

"Of course I would never…" Eagan says apologetically and backs away a little.

"Good, I'm tired of people taking her… seriously everyone assumes that I'm okay when they kidnap my wife. First its demons, next it's werewolves, vampires, then maybe some angels… Angels for Christ's sake angels!" Lucifer shouts as he rambles to Sam and Eagan. Sam and Eagan just stand there, and stare at the archangel with wide eyes.

"Lucifer are you alright?" Steff asks warily as she comes back from the car because she was tired and wanted Sam to hurry up… plus she heard Lucifer yelling and that was never good.

"Sweetheart… yeah I'm good now."

"Okay… Sam are you guys done here because Dean wants to leave?" Steff asks as she taps her foot impatiently.

"Yeah Steff let's go." Sam says then mentally says to Lucifer, 'talk to me later.'

Lucifer nods then walks towards the car with Sam and Steff. When they get there they find Dean humming with the radio pleasantly.

"So what's next Dean?" Steff inquires as she turns into a cat so Lucifer can get in. Lucifer sits down in the back then picks up Steff and strokes her ears.

"Yeah Dean what's next?" Lucifer asks them.

"Well…" Dean starts, but Lucifer isn't listening any more because he is talking to Steff telepathically.

'Don't you dare tell Sam!'

'Why not?'

'Because your brothers and my brothers both don't need to know.'

'Sweetheart let me tell them.'

'Tell them and I'll have to leave because I'm sure Michael would want to keep me in Heaven most of the time. Would you really want that?'

'No… of course not, but think of the power we would have… you in Heaven, me in Hell. We would be unstoppable.'

"What how… no I would… just no!" Steff says in outrage, as she turns back into a person then sitting on the other side of the seat far from Lucifer. Dean and Sam, who had been discussing their next hunt, take a look back at the angels arguing.

"You guys all right back there?" Dean asks as he sees Steff moving away from Lucifer.

"Dean we're just fantastic… in fact Lucifer was just leaving weren't you?" Steff says with a glare to her mate.

"No, actually I was not." He says meeting her glare with his own.

"Yes you were!"

"No I wasn't Sweetheart."

"Fine then I am." Steff says bitterly as she disappears from the car.

"So I think that's a record on how long we have actually managed to keep her in one place with all of us." Dean says with a frustrated sigh.

"Should we even ask?" Sam says emotionally exhausted from today.

"No I got this one, I'll go get her." Lucifer says as he disappears to Heaven where Michael is.

Michael's Heaven

Michael is a little surprised when Lucifer shows up in their Heaven, which is a large dense deciduous forest where large herds of white fallow deer live. Lucifer hadn't been to their shared heaven in a long, long time.

"Lucifer what are you doing here?" Michael says as he heals one of the fawn's broken hooves.

"Looking for my mate…. Have you seen her?" Lucifer asks as he tends to a buck with cut on his side.

"No she isn't here…" Michael says as he watches Lucifer tend to the buck. He just smiles at Lucifer's gentle touches with the animals. "I know what Father said about me." Michael says quietly.

"What?" Lucifer asks playing dumb.

"About how Steffanie might take my place eventually." Michael says sadly as he changes the landscape from a bright sunny day to a stormy dark night. "I also heard what you said."

"Michael I was only kidding chill brother, and Steff would never allow me to take your kingdom. Plus I think father would come back and try to stop me anyways, he always liked you best." Lucifer says with a smirk as they watch the deer flee back into the forest.

"I love all my sons equally Morning Star." They both hear from an all too familiar authoritative voice behind them.

"Father?" Michael asks in disbelief as a bright flash of light appears.

"Yes Michael it's me and Lucifer it's been a long time son." God says. He looks like a man about in his early sixties with salt and pepper hair, bright green eyes, four large charcoal wings, and is just about six foot two the same height as Michael and Lucifer.

"Father!" Michael exclaims happily as he flies over to him.

"Father." Lucifer says bitterly as he approaches him slowly.

"Luci, there you are. Sorry about earlier…. God." Steff says as she appears next to Lucifer having felt an uneasiness shift through their bond.

"Sweetheart I think it's time we go back to Hell." Lucifer says as he grabs Steff's hand quickly, but God stops him.

"Lucifer I need you to wait a minute."

"No." Lucifer says, not wanting to hear anything he has to say.

"What did you say to me Lucifer?"

"I said no, I'm leaving. Steff would you be so kind." Lucifer says and is about to fly away, however God walks over and snaps one of Lucifer's arches preventing his flight.

"Ahh!"

"I told you to wait." God says forcefully.

"Luci!" Steff says defensively as she grabs him then flares out her wings in anger in full on fire mode. No one injures her mate but her, especially not his dick of a father. All four of her wings are pitch black, and each coated in blue fire as she advances threateningly toward God.

"Steffanie stop!" Michael orders the angry angel.

"Shut it Michael, I'm going to do what you never had the courage to do." Steff yells angrily as she sets her injured mate up against a tree then starts toward God. "You are nothing more than an angry tyrant, who doesn't know how to raise his children, and can't even control his sons. Plus when they need discipline you send his older brother to do the work that you never would or could…. Another thing what kind of father leaves their children alone for so long in the care of the eldest…. You remind me of someone I once had the displeasure of meeting." Steff says passionately thinking about how much God reminds her of John, and watches as God turns into John only fueling her anger towards him.

"Who are you to judge my choices and the way I raised my sons?" God demands meeting Steff's challenge.

"I am Steffanie Marie Winchester: an Angel of Hell, Angelic Huntress, Keshet, Lucifer's mate, and most of all Mom to my two wonderful angelic children Violet and Seth." Steff says defiantly shifting her wings from black to their rainbow form for emphasis, which Lucifer has to admit; it was more frightening than he thought it, would be. Michael and Lucifer just stare at the confrontation happening between God and Steff. Gabriel, Cas, the fallen, Violet and Seth their mates, Zakiel, and Balthazar had felt the shift in power, and decided it was time to check it out only to find Steff in her stand off with God.

"What's going on?" Xaphan asks quietly while walking over to an injured Lucifer grimacing in pain against a tree.

"Xaphan you must… stop her." Lucifer says gravely as he tries to focus through the pain.

"Lucifer calm down, she'll be fine we need to help you… stay still." Gabriel says calmingly as he attempts to heal Lucifer, but Lucifer shoves him off.

"Steff!" Lucifer shouts out desperately, and God had has enough of his disobedient son so he sends an angel blade in his direction.

"NO!" Steff shouts and tackles Lucifer pushing him out of the way.

"SWEETHEART!"

"MOM!" Violet and Seth shout.

"STEFF!" Cas shouts and the other angels just gasp in horror at the scene unfolding before them. They all rush over to Steff to find her fading quickly from blood loss. Cas and Balthazar do their best to stop the bleeding and heal the wound, but it doesn't appear to be working.

"What have you done!" Michael yells in pure fury as he approaches his father.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to… it was..." God stutters as he turns back to his normal form realizing what he has just done.

"You killed her!" Michael shouts in anger as he approaches his father. "All she did was protect her mate, and you struck her down for no reason!"

"Michael she shouldn't have gotten in the way." God says matter of factly.

"Steff please… Angel please talk to me… please." Lucifer begs her.

"Luci, I'm okay just a scratch… come here for a minute." Steff orders slightly and Lucifer bends closer. Steff puts her hands on his wing, healing the injury with the last reserves of her energy. "There all bet…"

"Mom? Mom!" Seth and Violet cry out.

"Sweetheart no!" Lucifer cries out in anguish, and when the angels see this they all turn to God.

"Sons, daughters I never meant to hurt her it was an accident." God says trying to explain.

"Why father… why would you do this?" Cas questions in shock, he saw no reason for anyone to die today or in Steff's case… again.

"Castiel it was an accident."

"Then bring her back father." Zakiel demands seeing no reason for Steff to die.

"Zakiel I can't."

"Do not lie to an angel of truth." Marchosias says while backing her mate up.

"Mar…. Zak … stand down… not dead…. Yet." Steff mumbles quietly from Lucifer's arms.

"Mom!" Her children shout in glee as they hug her tightly.

"Violet, Seth you must always remember, Winchesters are tough." Steff says weakly from Lucifer's arms.

"Sweetheart… oh thank anyone, but my father." Lucifer says thankfully as he pulls Steff into his arms.

"Luci, how many times… I told you I wasn't dead…. Cas and Balthy would never let me die." Steff says with a smile still very weak as she closes her eyes.

"Steff please don't die on me. I can't handle all this emotional turmoil." Lucifer says quietly as he keeps Steff in his arms while she laughs quietly.

"My god Steff, you die or almost die way too many times for any creature." Gabriel says as he walks over to them.

"Steff I am truly sorry I never…"

"Oh for the love of Michael shut up… God do you ever listen to anything other then the sound of your own voice?" Steff says as she manages to stand up with Cas' help, then she limps out in front of everyone to meet God. Her wings recoated in angry fire, and her posture slowly straightening up gaining her strength back slowly.

"Steff you can't…" Cas starts, but Steff stops him with a hand.

"We have been through this before, you nor anyone else can tell me what to do… hell not even God." Steff says with a give'm hell attitude. God who has watched this entire scene play out is simply in awe at the courage this young angel has, even if she's the strongest archangel in existence. He can't help but admire her bravery and utter determination. Considering the fact that he almost killed her and here she is, not twenty minutes later meeting his gaze with an assertive stare.

"You truly are the Keshet." God states simply watching as the girl stops at this. "I'm glad it was you, instead of your brother."

"Fair enough." Steff says with a smile, glad the fighting has finally ended. All the angels just stare in shock as God walks over to Steff, and hugs her healing her wounds in the process.

"I feel so much better." God states cheerily as he walks over to his children, and technically his grandchildren.

"Sooo… is that it?" Xaphan asks warily, thinking this is the strangest day ever.

"Umm… yeah Xaphan I think it is… Violet, Seth I'm so proud of you keep doing what you do." Steff says; she is so proud of her children and they smile at the praise then fly of to their separate heavens with their mates. "As for all of you guys thanks for the support… sorry for almost dying."

"No problem." The fallen say and fly back to Hell.

"Always a pleasure Steff." Zakiel says as he and Marchosias fly back to the mountains.

"Well I think it's time I leave again." God says after most of his children leave.

"No Father, stay take back control so I can have a break… I'm tired of having to constantly be here… I want to be free like Gabriel, Balthazar, and Castiel…" Michael says to his dad.

"Very well Michael." God says and smiles as he watches Michael's face physically lose some stress lines.

"Thank you."

"Now that this is all settled I need to get back down there, Lucifer you coming?" Steff says as she turns into a cat and jumps in his arms.

"Wait before you go Lucifer I just want to tell you I am sorry for what I made Michael do to you." God says as he tries to pull Lucifer into a hug, but he just dodges the attempt.

"It's alright Father you did your best…. Plus in the long run I met Steff so it's cool." Lucifer lies, as he pet's Steff in his arms.

"Alright well if you need to talk I will be here." God says, disappointed that he wasn't very receptive to his affections.

"Okay well I'm gonna go, Michael you coming?" Lucifer asks as he feels Steff become drowsy in his arms.

"Sure." So they fly down to the Impala, which is in a motel parking lot in Montana.


	32. A Glimpse into Michael's Turbulent Love Life

"So how does this whole freedom thing work?" Michael asks when they get to the parking lot. Steff and Lucifer just give him a questioning glance.

"What do you mean Michael?" Steff asks thinking freedom was pretty self-explanatory.

"I have never been 'free' before." Michael says to Steff with an excited smile.

"Luci, why don't you show him what alcohol is." Steff suggests helpfully as she turns back into a person, and walks over to her brothers with a questioning look.

"Wait, did we miss something?" Dean asks noticing a change in Michael's usual stoic demeanor to see him now excited.

"Yes our father came back and almost killed Steff when she went to save Lucifer from his wrath. Plus she insulted father's ability to be our father." Michael explains giving them the short version, "Then he took Heaven back over and gave me freedom."

"WHAT!" Sam exclaims in shock and Dean just shakes his head in disappointment.

"Seriously Steff, you had to pick a fight with God…. Really?" Dean says in defeat, "I thought I always taught you to respect deities."

"Dean you taught me a lot of things, but I don't think that was one of them." Steff says pretty confident she would have remembered that one.

"Really… are you sure cause I feel like I taught you that?"

"No, I'm pretty sure you didn't."

"So Lucifer when are you going to show me what alcohol is." Michael interrupts, eager to learn about freedom.

"Right now brother, come on." Lucifer says as he grabs Michael's shoulder and takes him to a bar. The Winchesters just sigh and get in the Impala then Dean drives them to Bobby's house it takes about eight hours since they were near Ashland, Montana.

Bobby's house

They arrive at Bobby's about an hour after the sunset. Sam and Dean go inside to see if Bobby was home. Steff goes around back to the barn to find Bobby torturing a kitsune.

"Tell me who wants the Keshet!"

"Never…" The kitsune refuses as she spits blood at him. Bobby just sighs and plunges the knife deep into her heart having seen Steff enter.

"Hey there Steff."

"Bobby what were you doing?" Steff asks as she approaches the dead body, burning it with an emerald fire cobra. Bobby and Steff just watch as the cobra slithers across the body burning clothing and flesh in its wake.

"Well hunters have been calling me asking what the hell a Keshet was because apparently creatures have been amassing armies in an attempt to find it." Bobby explains to her as they leave the barn and go to the house.

"What kind of creatures Bobby?" Steff asks curiously as they walk up the porch stairs.

"All kinds from vampires to demons to hell, even a lamia or two." Bobby responds as they enter the house where Dean and Sam are drinking beers.

"Wait did you say demons?" Steff asks as they sit down in the living room.

"Yeah I know it surprised me a little too. I thought Lucifer had them under control." Bobby says to Steff as the boys just listen to the conversation.

"Most of the demons don't even know that I am the Keshet or even Lucifer's mate. I don't make many public appearances…. Now that I think about it most of the angels don't even know either." Steff says with a nonchalant shrug.

"Wait angels don't even know." Sam says in surprise.

"No simply because I don't wear my wings like the legend tells them the Keshet would, plus I don't really advertise it to the general populace." Steff explains to them as she brushes a few wayward feathers down.

"I still don't understand why you hide them Steff." Dean says, "at least among family."

"Dean I don't like all the colors okay, just leave me alone." Steff says with a finality that stops Dean in his tracks.

"Sure Steff, they're your wings." Dean says with a shrug.

"Yeah I know Dean, they're my stupid wings." Steff says bitterly as they change from black to gold then back.

"Steff what's wrong?" Sam asks having never heard Steff insult her wings like ever.

"It's just… I wish I was just…"

"Steff don't you dare say normal." Sam says sharply.

"Why the hell not Sam?"

"Because I used to think that way too. I thought if I had just done a better job of running away I could have been normal. Got a college degree then got a normal job and had a pretty normal life, but after all that has happened… I'm glad that I never had a normal life." Sam says to Steff who just stares at him blankly.

"Sam for the most part you are normal. You don't have four multicolored, feathered appendages sticking out of your back. Plus most of the supernatural beings don't want to kill you simply based on the fact that you're some human angel hybrid." Steff explains to him with a sigh, "And to top it all off I married the devil, and had his children. Then just to add insult to injury. I basically told God he was an awful father causing him to almost kill me…. But no for all the times I have almost died, tried to kill myself, or got captured by some being who wanted to kill me; someone has always found it necessary for me to come back to life…. I don't think you guys understand…. This is exhausting, and I'm so very, very tired, and it's not the kind of tired that I can just sleep off." Steff rants to them and watch as they all offer sad sympathetic looks.

"I see." Sam says not really sure what to say to that.

"Don't get me wrong I love my husband and my kids, but being me is so tiring." Steff says in a jaded tone. While she puts her hands to her face and leans forward so her elbows are resting on her knees. Her wings fall around her body turning into a bright white with tri-colored streaks.

"Darling are we celebrating the revolution?" Balthazar asks as he shows up suddenly.

"No Balthazar." Steff replies shortly still hiding in her wings.

"What's wrong with her?" Balthazar asks curious as to why she looks so… for lack of a better word… tired.

"Just tired Balthazar… just so very tired." Steff says in defeat.

"Then take a nap Darling." Balthazar suggest as he sits down next to her while soothingly petting her wings. Steff just shakes her head then leans against Balthazar, and he just strokes her wings. Sam, Dean, and Bobby just watch as she just sighs out with a deep breath.

"Where's Lucifer?" Steff asks with a yawn.

"I think him and Michael are still out drinking, why?" Balthazar tells her.

"Cause I'm tired and was looking for my husband so I didn't have to sleep in that huge ass bed by myself… seriously it makes me feel lonely." Steff explains to them.

"Darling I could come with you… I love to cuddle." Balthazar offers seductively.

"Somehow I don't think either of our mates would like that very much." Steff says while returning with a playful smile. Never noticing how Balthazar just looks at the ground in shame, Bernael had left him a while ago, but he had yet to tell anyone.

"Don't think I would like what?" Lucifer asks as he shows up with a plastered Michael.

"Speak of the devil." Balthazar says with a laugh, "Well I'll be damned Darling that really does work."

"Luc who is that angel over there… she's pretty." Michael slurs out as he pulls from Lucifer's grasp and stumbles over to Steff.

"Well I think I'm gonna go." Balthazar says as he disappears.

"Bye Balthy." Steff says after him as Michael sits down next to her.

"You're sooo pretty." Michael says with a slur as he pets her wings.

"Michael." Steff warns with an edge to her voice.

"So pretty like my Rosalyn." Michael admits as he lifts up her chin to look her in the eyes.

"Rosalyn?" Steff questions as she changes her wings to a dark indigo then looks into his eyes, and she notices how they become darker at the sound of her name.

"Rosalyn was a ice angel… She had the prettiest blue wings and bleach blonde hair. Her wings were a light blue with hints of violet near the tips." Michael explains as tears form in his eyes, Steff who was listening turns her wings into the color pattern he described. Michael smiles at this and lazily strokes her wing with a smile.

"What happened to her Michael?" Steff asks, but notices how Lucifer looks away suddenly.

"Rosalyn well she left me… broke the bond we had for three hundred years to be with my brother… though when she offered it to him, he refused… said he didn't want his brother's 'sloppy seconds' is how humans put it I think. Rosalyn was so upset; even when I told her it was fine that I would take her back…. She told me she didn't want such a spineless mate. Told me she wanted someone who was more rebellious… more charismatic…. And since Lucifer wouldn't take her she killed herself… plunged her own angel blade into her chest." Michael recalls sadly, "After her I have had many mates, but none of them stay long… they always leave me… but you won't leave me right Steff…." Michael asks as he turns to face Steff with tears running down his face.

"Never Michael, I will never leave you." Steff promises the sad drunken angel. "Michael how about we get you to bed hmmm…" Steff suggests to him as she leads him down to the panic room, and puts him on the large bed. As she begins to walk away Michael grabs her wing.

"Please stay… I don't want to be alone." Michael pleads with Steff and she can't deny him when he asks so little of her. So against her better judgment she lies down next to him.

"Sure Michael, I would love to." Steff says as she lies next to Michael on the bed, and he wraps his arms around her tightly. As she lies there, she notices a slight tugging on her soul, like this was meant to be. However the tugging isn't as powerful as it was when Lucifer laid next to her, or even when Balthazar slept next to her occasionally.

"Thanks." Michael says sleepily as his eyes flutter shut and pulls Steff closer.

"It's my pleasure Michael." Steff whispers as she begins to fall asleep next to him, but decides she should go find Lucifer. Though when she tries to leave she notices that Michael's grip is so strong that she can't break it, so with no other choice she let's sleep claim her.

An hour later

"Sweetheart are you…" Lucifer whispers into the panic room, but stops when he notices Michael's white wings wrapped around her. His first reaction is to get possessive, but then he realizes that Steff is just as much his as she is Michael's, especially with her being the Keshet.

"Sleep well Michael." Lucifer says as he lies down on the other side of Steff.


	33. Fate's a Funny Thing

The next Morning

When Steff wakes up she notices that it's not just Michael's arms wrapped around her, but Lucifer's too. She attempts to move, but both of the brother's grips just tighten around her. So Steff turns herself into a kitten and crawls out of the mess of arms, then watches as Lucifer slides in next to his brother taking Steff's previous position. Michael just lays his wings over Lucifer's body, and Lucifer just curls closer to his brother. Steff can't help, but smile at this as she pads up the stairs and out the back door. Since she's the only one awake she decides to take a walk in the forest. While she is walking over to the forest she turns back into her human form. Once she is about halfway to the pond she notices three creatures lurking behind her.

"I know you're back there." Steff shouts behind her and turns to face them.

"Steffanie Winchester." One of the creatures spits at Steff as it flares his wings.

"Angels… oh joy." Steff says with a sarcastic grin as they stand in a line in front of her.

"You should show use some respect." Raphael growls out menacingly to her.

"I'll show you respect when you earn it. Now what do you want?" Steff says to them as her feathers go from soft to steel hard at the sound of Raphael's threatening tone.

"We want you to kill Lucifer." Zachariah states getting right to the point as he pulls Raphael away from Steff.

"Why would I do that?" Steff asks, as she looks over at the three angels defiantly.

"Because if you don't I will kill your precious family." Uriel threatens her.

"You wouldn't dare." Steff says threateningly as she flares out her four wings, which are now coated in angry red fire and puffing out in defense.

"Alright everyone calm down were not here to kill Steff or her family to begin with… Steff we just want him dead. Can you do that for us?" Zachariah asks trying to reason with her.

"No, I'm not gonna kill my mate you idiot!" Steff shouts in disbelief that these three could be so stupid as to ask her to kill her mate.

"I see… well that is most unfortunate, I guess we'll start with you." Zachariah says as he draws his blade and lunges at Steff. Steff just laughs at his feeble attempt to stab her. She uses her powers to wrap pythons made of black fire around all three of the angels immobilizing them.

"Now before I kill all of you. Tell me what my husband and I did to upset you all in the first place." Steff threatens as she makes the snake unwrap itself slightly from Raphael's throat.

"You destroyed our plans for taking over Heaven, caused our father to come back, and ruined our Apocalypse." Raphael answers, and the snake hisses at him while singeing his feathers.

"Apocalypse… I thought that was a last resort?" Steff says in confusion having heard very little about this Apocalypse. Only the bits and pieces she could get out of Cas or Balthazar… and that wasn't much. She only knew that it would have been very bad for the Winchesters and Earth.

"No girl, that was the whole damn plan… we were going to watch as Michael killed Lucifer, then we were gonna kill Michael, and take over Heaven." Raphael snarls out as he tries to break out, but only burns himself more.

"Really well that is some troubling news… but you must know that I cannot allow you to kill Lucifer or my family…" Steff says curious as to what this Apocalypse was all about.

"Either kill us or release us." Uriel orders.

"No I have a better idea… GOD!" Steff shouts up into the air.

"Steff what can… Sons?" God starts, as he shows up in front of them

"Father." All three of them echo voices filled with hatred.

"Found the rebels." Steff says to God and watches as he approaches the angels.

"Good I will take them with me, fear not I will not allow them to kill their brothers." God says reassuringly. Steff just nods and releases her snakes then watches as God snaps chains onto their hands as he flies up to Heaven with them. After that she just begins to aimlessly wander the forest, enjoying the company of the early morning animals.

About three hours later

Steff figures its time to walk back, but she stops when she notices a pair of golden eyes. A pair of golden eyes staring at her from a nearby tree the same pair of eyes that belonged to a long dead angel from Hell… also now belonging to a golden hawk.

"Wyatt?" Steff asks in shock as the hawk flies down to her shoulder.

'Steff I can't change back I need your help.' Wyatt answers her telepathically.

'Wyatt how?'

'When the demon stabbed me it wasn't all the way to the heart… I pretended to be dead so the demons would leave me alone and the young angel could escape. Once everyone was gone I was to injured to come back yet. So I waited and healed up. However when I was finally able to come back, I was very deep in Alistair's territory so I waited again… only this time for Lucifer to take back Hell. When the time came for me to leave I was attacked by some of the remaining demons. They caught me and nearly killed me, but the young angel who I had saved came back on a patrol. He noticed me and took me back to his and his mate's house where I healed up.' Wyatt explains to her and watches a she just stands there taking it all in.

'But what took you so long… it's been years Wyatt… I thought you were dead.' Steff thinks at him.

'I'm sorry… but prophetic angels weren't made for battles. We heal very slowly, plus I kind of got lost up on Earth when I came to tell you about a prophecy… Steff we can hash out the details later, can you help me shift back?' Wyatt says as he flaps his hawk wings impatiently.

'Okay we can talk later, but first we need to get you back to angel form.' Steff says as she begins to use her power to help him shift back, however his body tries to reject her help. Steff is persistent though so slowly she manages to get him back to regular form, although his wings are all knotted up.

"Steff I know you have a mate and all, but can you untangle my wings?" Wyatt asks quietly, knowing he might be over stepping boundaries. Especially if Lucifer was still her mate, he knew his friend was very possessive of his things.

"Wyatt you saved me from Azazel a bunch of times, of course I can unknot them." Steff says cheerily as she begins the long task of untangling all six of his golden wings. About halfway through the fourth wing Wyatt starts to fidget like he's uncomfortable.

"Steff please hurry up." Wyatt whispers to her hurriedly.

"What's the rush Wyatt? Don't you like when I touch your wings?" Steff says with a seductive pout just to mess with him as she keeps untangling them.

"It's not that, that feels amazing. It's been so long since someone's touched my wings, but rather it's them." Wyatt whispers as he gestures to the angels behind her.

"Who?" Steff asks as she glances back at the angels only to see Lucifer glaring at her. While Michael has less of an angry glare it was more of an embarrassed glare.

"Us." Lucifer and Michael echo as they each tap a foot in anger.

"Oh them… Don't worry about them their pushovers." Steff says playfully as she finally manages to untangle his last wing. "They're all done." Steff says as she pats his shoulder and stands up. She had to kneel to get the last two wings.

"So Steff this is where you went this morning." Lucifer says as he walks closer to Steff.

"Yes it was… Did you enjoy cuddling with Michael?" Steff says with a laugh.

"You…. Its not funny Steffanie!" Lucifer growls out in anger and a blush reddening his cheeks.

"Chill out Morning Star, I'm only messing with you." Steff says as she walks over to her angry mate. "I'm sorry Luci." Steff says with an apologetic kiss.

"You better be." Lucifer grumbles into the kiss.

"Now I'm a little less sorry, besides I've had a productive morning… I exposed a rebellion in Heaven to God, then I fixed Wyatt over here… turns out he didn't die he was just was lost." Steff tells Lucifer and Michael who just look at her in surprise.

"You did what?" Michael exclaims having been looking for the rebellion for months.

"Yeah apparently Zachariah, Raphael, and I think it was Uriel… They wanted me to kill Lucifer then they were going to kill you Michael… plus they were really pissed cause I avoided the Apocalypse." Steff says still wondering what made it so awful for her and her brothers. At this Michael and Lucifer suddenly shut up, which Steff finds oddly suspicious.

"Steff could you give me your hand?" Wyatt asks as he holds out his hand for hers.

"Sure." Steff says as she accepts his outstretched hand, and when she does his eyes glaze over as he falls to his knees. She helps him to sit on the ground.

"Defiance…. Questions…. Loss… Monsters." Wyatt says as he comes back to himself after about five minutes.

"Wyatt are you all right?" Steff asks with concern as she helps him up.

"Yeah, what did I say to you this time?" Wyatt asks her while Lucifer and Michael just stare.

"Defiance, Questions, Loss, and Monsters." Steff repeats to him and she watches as he just nods.

"Hmm." Wyatt ponders in wonderment, having never been confused by a prediction before.

"What does it mean Wyatt?" Lucifer asks wondering about his love's fate.

"Lucifer I honestly have no idea… which means that God himself is hiding this one from me…. Lucifer give me your hand I need to test this theory." Wyatt says and Lucifer grabs his hand.

"Rebellion… Despair… Happiness… Love." Wyatt says with a smile as his eyes go back to normal. "Yup I was right, seems our father is blocking my view."

"Why?" Michael asks not seeing a reason for this subterfuge.

"Because my sons it is for me to know and you to find out. That's why it's called fate, it's supposed to be a surprise." God says with a smirk as he appears next to Steff.

"Father why?" Lucifer questions, he had never been a fan of father's riddles.

"Lucifer, this is between the Keshet and I…. Based on today's events it seems that it has gotten worse… Steff you need to come with me." God orders as he approaches Steff.

"God what if I don't want to?" Steff asks defiantly as she backs out of God's grip.

"Well then I can make you, but that would be unpleasant for both of us." God answers as he moves closer.

"Father you're not taking her." Lucifer challenges as he stands next to his mate protectively.

"Lucifer chill… I don't wanna go, but if God needs me to go then what can I do?" Steff says trying to reason with her mate before he does something irrational.

"You could…"

"No I can't and you know that." Steff says as she read his mind and hugs him tightly while she whispers, "I'll come back Lucifer, I always come back remember. I made a promise and I never break my promises."

"But…."

"Michael keep an eye on him for me will you." Steff orders as she walks away from him and over to God. "Keep an eye on my brothers will you Lucifer?"

"Keshet are you ready?" God asks as he offers her a hand, which she scoffs at then bats it away.

"I have a name you know, it's Steff. Say it with me St… E... ff… Steff."

"Steff." God warns her with a sharp tone.

"Very well, let's get this over with." Steff says in defeat as God and her disappear.

"Should we tell her family?" Michael asks as Lucifer just nods his head as he looks at the spot that she was standing in.

"Why does everyone always take my wife?" Lucifer asks quietly.

"Because she's the angel that single handedly avoided the Apocalypse." Wyatt tells them as they fly back to the house. Bobby and the boys were out in the yard fixing up the Impala.

"Bobby hand me that wrench." Dean asks from under the Impala, and Bobby hands him the wrench.

"Sam quit reading that damn book and help us." Bobby says as he walks over to Sam, and takes the book out of his hands then closes it.

"Bobby I know next to nothing about cars, so how much help could I really be." Sam points out and that's when they notice Lucifer, Michael, and another angel walk up.

"Hey Lucifer, you guys find her?" Dean questions while he slides out from under the car, "Whose the pretty boy with wings?"

"Names Wyatt, angel of prophecy, Hell division." Wyatt says to the brothers and Bobby.

"Aren't you dead?" Sam says to him.

"No Samuel I am not." Wyatt says to him while he unfurls all six of his wings. The men just nod at the angel's dazzling wings, shining brilliantly in the sunlight.

"It's Sam, not Samuel." Sam points out to him, Wyatt just nods in understanding.

"Where's Steff?" Bobby asks when he sees a mopey Lucifer.

"She's with God up in Heaven now Mr. Singer." Wyatt answers him with a smile.

"She's dead!" The brothers and Bobby exclaim in shock as Dean slides out from underneath the car.

"No! For the love of our father… Wyatt why would you use that euphemism?" Michael says to him in frustration.

"But that's where she is isn't she?" Wyatt asks confused as to what they thought he meant… then it dawns on him, "Oh wait… That's what humans say when they describe death isn't it?"

"Yeah." Michael answers.

"Oh sorry, I simply meant that God has taken her up to Heaven… My people skills are rusty after being stuck as a hawk for so long." Wyatt explains apologetically to them; both of the Winchesters sigh in relief and Bobby just laughs.

"Why did he take her?" Dean asks as he goes back under the car.

"Because my father's a giant asshole." Lucifer mutters under his breath.

"Lucifer mind your tongue." God says sharply to his son as he appears next to Bobby and Sam.

"Bring my wife back." Lucifer demands from his father.

"Lucifer stop being over dramatic, she's only been gone like an hour." God says trying to reason with his angry son.

"An hour to long." Lucifer spits at him.

"Is that God?" Dean asks as he comes back out from under the car.

"Yes Dean it's me, God."

"So you're the one who our sister insulted…. Sorry about that she has father issues." Dean apologizes.

"It's fine I made her like that for Lucifer…"

"You did what!" Lucifer yells at him in anger and shock.

"Luc do you really think I didn't have a hand in that?" God asks his son with a quizzical look.

"Don't call me that!" Lucifer says indignantly as he goes to storm off, but God stops him.

"I'm sorry okay…. It needed to be done alright and you were the only one I could be sure would get it done." God says to him regretfully.

"I don't need your apologies, but I would like my mate back." Lucifer says bitterly as he shakes his father's grip off. He then stalks off into the car yard, changing the once blue skies to dark gray storm clouds.

"Sons…." God sighs out in exhaustion as thunder begins to rumble.

"3…2…1." Gabriel says as he shows up with Balthazar and Cas as lightning strikes off in the distance.

"Gabriel, Castiel, and Balthazar what can I do for you?" God asks with a tired smile.

"Nothing Dad we just came to tell you Steff is wreaking havoc up there." Gabriel informs him.

"What is she doing now?" God asks tired of trying to subdue the difficult angel. There was only so much he could do before it became mind control.

"Apparently she got pissed at the instructors you sent, and when she tried to kill them they restrained her, but she broke free." Cas explains to him with a smile knowing that his charge was bound to rebel.

"For the love of Saint Hubert of Liege!" God exclaims and throws his hands up in frustration.

"The patron saint of hunters?" Sam says questioningly as he looks at God.

"Very good Sam… now I remember why I created mostly sons..."

"Yeah girls are tough to raise… and irrational." Bobby adds as he pats God's shoulder reassuringly.

"I have over seen the raising of hundreds of angels in my day, but your guy's sister has to be the most difficult one ever." God says and then turns to Castiel, "I am sorry I made you her guardian, had I known it would be this difficult I would have put Michael on it."

"Actually I don't really mind much it's generally a good time, well I should say the most exciting time." Cas says to him and all of them watch, as the storm gets worse. The winds start to pick up causing tree branches to crack, and the lightning strikes get closer together.

"Winchesters I think it's a good time for you to go inside." Balthazar suggests as he snaps his fingers fixing the Impala.

"Good idea Balthazar." Sam says as he, Dean, and Bobby go into the house.

"Gabriel, Wyatt go into the house and keep them safe. Michael, Cas, Balthazar come with me we need to calm him down before he hurts someone." God orders and they all nod following their orders… not even Gabriel argues.

In the yard

"LUCIFER!" God shouts out as he looks in an old junk car.

"LUC!" Michael yells out.

"MORNING STAR!" Cas yells hoping he might answer to that. Though they hear no response so they keep searching the yard calling out for him. It takes about an hour, but when they find him. He's in the middle of a puddle of his own blood; they all rush over to him quickly.

"Lucifer!" God says as he rushes to his fallen son; Lucifer doesn't answer or even move.

"Father is he…" Cas asks and watches his father check for a pulse.

"Luc don't you dare die on me!" Michael orders as he sprints over to his brother and begins shaking him roughly, "You didn't die when I cast you down from Heaven, and you didn't die when I cast you to Hell. So you don't get to die now!" Michael yells loudly at him.

"Mic…" Lucifer whispers quietly.

"Yeah it's me… come on stay with me."

"Mic watch out!" Lucifer shouts as he pulls him out of the way of an incoming blade. The blade misses Michael, but goes straight into Lucifer's chest.

"NOO!" All the men hear as Steff descends from the sky to the attacker at full speed blade in hand, her wings tucked close to her body covered in bright blue fire. She hits the enemy angel full speed. The angel is killed instantly, and burnt to ash at the same time. Steff circles back to Lucifer to find him choking on his own blood, but not dead.

"Move!" Steff commands and instantly everyone backs away from Lucifer even God.

"Your bossy, you know that." Lucifer sputters out as Steff approaches.

"Yeah I know… take a deep breath Luci." Steff says soothingly as she puts her hands on the blade and pulls it out.

"God damn it, that hurts Steff!"

"Sorry Luci… almost done, just relax…shhh, you'll be alright." Steff says as she comforts her mate as he writhes in pain on the blood-saturated ground.

"Angels did this… Steff I guess you can't trust anyone these days." Lucifer says with a sputtering laugh, "Although I'll always trust you Sweetheart." She just smiles and pushes her grace into his body, healing the multiple lacerations plus all the internal bleeding. All the angels watch as Lucifer stands up shakily using Steff to lean against.

"I got you Luci." Steff assures her mate as he leans against her.

"Sweetheart this is why your not allowed to leave me anymore."

"Maybe I should just take you with me." Steff suggests as she strokes his wing soothingly. "We could get you a leash… it would be black with flames on it." Steff says with a smile as Lucifer rolls his eyes at her.

"Wait since Lucifer was almost dead shouldn't the storm have stopped by now." Balthazar points out noticing how the storm has lessened, but its still raining lightly with the occasional thunder rumble.

"That wasn't me… well in the beginning it was, but the lightning wasn't me." Lucifer says as he gains enough strength to walk on his own, and then wraps his arms around Steff.

"If it wasn't you… Michael…. Castiel?" God asks as he turns to his sons.

"No Father." They both answer.

"Balthazar last time I remember you can't control the weather, you were an angel of revelry… Plus I believe Michael made you a guardian angel too." God says to him.

"You are correct Father." Balthazar says to God.

"Then, that leaves one angel…" God concludes as he turns to Steff.

"Yeah… so about that…." Steff starts and Lucifer turns her around to face him.

"The Keshet wasn't supposed to be able to do that." God says as he looks at her, "Steff come here for a moment." Steff hesitantly walks over to him, and he touches her forehead making her instantly go limp in his arms.

"Father what the hell!" Lucifer exclaims as he moves over to him.

"Lucifer I just need to look at her soul… you have done this many times, so relax." God says to him in an attempt to comfort him.

"Then let me do it."

"I would… but you don't have enough power to find what I'm looking for." God says as he lays her on the ground gently. He gingerly sticks his hand into her stomach as he looks into her soul. "Hmm… it seems that someone had tampered with her soul… it was another human soul… Mary Winchester."

"Oh my god!" All the angels turn to see the Winchester boys and Bobby open mouthed.

"Wasn't that your guy's mother?" Gabriel asks as he and Wyatt had followed them out.

"Yeah… what did she do?" Dean asks wondering what his mother could have possibly done to their sister.

"She just took off the guard that only allowed for one type of angelic ability… Steff's powers include her ability to manipulate fire, her affinity for weaponry, and also the ability to manipulate the weather… but other than that she didn't do anything that could hurt her." God explains to them wondering how a human managed to do this.

"Oh…" Sam and Dean say in unison.

"Can you get your hand out of my mate?" Lucifer asks his father grumpily.

"Sorry." God apologizes as he removes his hand from Steff and she wakes up slowly.

"God I hate you… you know that right?" Steff says groggily as she grits her teeth at the lingering pain.

"Yeah well you're not my favorite daughter either." God responds with a smile.

"Steff how long?" Lucifer asks with a tired sigh, and Steff instantly knows what he's talking about as she just looks at her shoes.

"This whole time, in fact remember when Violet showed us that rainbow…. Well it wasn't working, and I was not gonna let my daughter fail… so I used a little of my power to help her… then she asked me about it and I wasn't gonna lie to her. So I told her the truth… then she told Seth and he told Balthazar." Steff explains to him and watches as Lucifer just laughs. "So your not mad…"

"No actually I'm quite pissed, but seeing as the lightning strike saved me from an angel sent to kill me… I can let this one go." Lucifer says as he wraps his arms tightly around Steff.

"I… can't… breathe." Steff chokes out.

"Shhh… I know… just accept it." Lucifer says as he uses his power to knock her out and picks her up bridal style.

"Son what are you doing?" God asks confused at his son's actions.

"Father I'm taking her to the panic room where I can watch her."

"Why?" Cas asks.

"Because everyone decides it's okay to kidnap my wife, whenever they get the urge to… so I'm going to make sure the people who came after me don't decide to grab her." Lucifer explains to them.

"Okay well I'm going back to Heaven to make sure the angels your mate almost killed aren't actually dead." God says and Balthazar follows him.

"I'm going back to Hell… see you later Lucifer." Wyatt says to him.

"See you Wyatt." Lucifer says with a nod as he walks into the house with Cas, Bobby, Gabriel, Dean, Michael, and Sam.

"Okay I understand why Cas is here, but Gabriel I'm not getting." Dean says to him as he sits on the couch.

"Yes why are you here Gabe." Lucifer asks as he comes back up from the basement.

"Cause it's a free world Lucifer." Gabriel answers as he turns into a cat, and jumps into Sam's lap then Sam starts to pet him.

"Now I understand." Dean says in understanding as he watches Sam pet Gabriel while looking to the cat with adoration.

"What?" Sam asks innocently as he pets Gabriel gently.

"Say it and you die Dean." Gabriel threatens with a smile.

"Kill him and I kill you, then I bring you back and do it again kinda like what you did to him at the mystery spot." Steff says from the kitchen as she is making a sandwich, "Except without the Asia song. I would probably go with some ACDC."

"Steff your awake." Lucifer says cheerily as he approaches her, but stops when she points the knife at him.

"Stay back." Steff orders as she takes a bite of her peanut butter sandwich. "You don't get to touch."

"Why not?" Lucifer says as he inches closer.

"Because you knocked me unconscious like an hour ago… seriously Lucifer I hate when you do that." Steff says and when he gets about a foot from her she throws the knife, and it hits him it the head by the handle.

"You know you love it." Lucifer says as he takes a bite of her sandwich with a smile.

"Hey!" Steff says with a smile as she eats the rest of her sandwich quietly.

"So… back to Sam and Gabe." Dean says changing the subject.

"Leave Sam and his angel alone, before he turns you into a cat. I will allow that." Steff says as she moves into the living room.

"How did you know that Steff?" Gabriel asks as he looks to Steff from Sam's lap.

"I was in Heaven surrounded by angels and I have really good hearing… Plus some of them really like to talk, when you hold an angel blade to their throat." Steff says as she sits down next to Dean on the couch.

"Wait if he's my angel then who's his?" Sam asks as he looks over to Dean.

"I think it was Balthazar or Michael... it wasn't really specified." Steff says as she sits on the couch.

"Actually it was I…" Michael admits as he looks at Dean with a smile.

"Oh joy I got robbo-angel." Dean says with disdain, and Steff who has had enough of Dean's attitude turns him into a cat.

"Apologize, Michael has saved your ass many times whether you knew it or not." Steff orders him angrily.

"Sorry." Dean grumbles out to his angel as he jumps into Steff's lap.

"No problem." Michael says as he sits on the couch too, and then pets his charge. Dean just growls lowly at him and Steff just glares at Dean.

"You weren't always Sam's angel, Gabriel." Lucifer says as he joins everyone in the living room.

"Yes I know brother." Gabriel says as he purrs from Sam's lap.

"Wait then who was it?" Sam asks as he strokes Gabriel.

"It was Lucifer…" Cas starts.

"Lucifer, Cas I need your help in Australia." Michael says quickly as he grabs Lucifer and Cas then disappears before he can finish that sentence.

"That was odd." Steff says as she pets Dean.

"Yeah it was." Dean agrees with a purr.

"Gabe do you know why he stopped being Sam's angel?" Steff asks as she puts Dean on the couch and gets up.

"No idea Steff." Gabriel admits with a shrug.

"Okay I'll be out back… yell if you need me." Steff says as she walks out the back door, and turns into a cat as she strides into the yard.

"Why am I still a cat?" Dean asks from the couch.

"That was Steff, not me." Gabriel says as he turns back into a person.

"Can you turn me back please?" Dean asks not really wanting to be a cat.

"Sure." Gabriel says a he turns Dean back.

"Thanks."

"No biggie…. Well I'm going out see you guys later." Gabriel says as he disappears. Once the last angel leaves Sam, Dean, and Bobby go back to manning the phones and cleaning their arsenals. This is how the rest of the day goes with the storm continuing late into the night. Ending as the first rays of sunlight break through the clouds, as if to announce the arrival of dawn and the beginning of a new day.


	34. Questions answered.... well at least a few

At about midnight of that same night the men decide to call it a night and once everyone has settled into bed Lucifer, Cas, and Michael show up again.

"Hey have you guys seen Steff?" Cas asks as he shows up in the boy's room.

"Said she was out back earlier, did you check there?" Dean mumbles sleepily from his pillow.

"Yeah and the rest of the Earth, she isn't here or in Hell… Lucifer checked." Cas responds as he sits down on the edge of Dean's bed.

"Did Michael check Heaven?" Sam suggests as he sits up slowly.

"Yes Cas and I did." Michael answers as he shows up too.

"Why don't you go ask God he might know?" Bobby shouts from a few rooms over.

"That's a good idea you guys go, I'll stay here in case she comes back." Lucifer says as he walks down the stairs to the couch and sits on it. His brother's nod and fly to Heaven.

"Sweetheart where are you?" Lucifer whispers into the air in frustration.

Where Steff went that Day and Night

Steff had decided she had just about enough of the secrets that seemed to revolve around this so-called 'Apocalypse'. So she went straight to the source, God but when she went to Heaven he wasn't there.

"If I was God where would I be?" Steff mutters to herself up in Heaven's throne room.

"He's in Nevada." Tara says helpfully, she is an angel of purity.

"Oh thanks… Tara I think it is right?"

"Yeah and you're Steff right? The Keshet or better, known to us as the Righteous Lady." Tara says with a smile as she watches Steff's wings shift colors unconsciously.

"That's what some call me… I would love to stay and talk, but I have to go." Steff says as she waves goodbye and flies to Nevada. Using her powers she manages to find God's general location. A canyon in the middle of nowhere, but when she gets there all she sees is a large puma lying in the sun. In order to not frighten the animal Steff turns into a lioness and approaches the male puma.

"Ahh Steff… I see you finally managed to find me." God says while he lies in the sun then opens his eyes lazily.

"Yeah I had a little help from Tara, nice form." Steff says as she admires his feline form. God's feline form was a dusty brown puma with large green eyes.

"Same to you daughter, but I sense that's not what you want to talk about… Did you put up that barrier as well?" God asks quizzically as he rolls over into a lying position.

"Yes, its just Lucifer can be very protective sometimes, and I don't want to play games with him anymore… I just want the truth."

"But don't you lie to him all the time… a little hypocritical isn't it." God points out to her and she just scowls at him.

"I… Well… I'm not here to talk about that God, stay on task."

"So what was your question?" God asks with a small laugh.

"What is the Apocalypse and how are the Winchesters involved?" Steff asks and she wasn't prepared when God looks her dead in the eyes with a penetrating stare.

"What… who told you about that?"

"Well… no one will tell me anything…. I only managed to grab bits and pieces from Cas, Balthazar, or the three that asked me to kill Lucifer." Steff says quietly meeting God's intense gaze.

"Steffanie that is something you were never meant to know about."

"Well it involves my family and people are trying to kill Lucifer and Michael over it… so as the Keshet I demand you tell me." Steff demands while looking to God with a fiery gaze.

"You demand, how cute… but fine if you wanna know I will tell you. But once you know the truth you must be prepared for the consequences that come with knowledge." God warns her cryptically.

"God you are so cryptic, just tell me." Steff says while she scoffs at him.

"Very well…. When Lucifer and Michael were young angels, it was before I allowed angels to create their own human vessels. Back in that time angels had to take on a human vessel, and that was the rule until you came along. See you were one of my greatest creations Steff, you have been alive for many years and it was simple luck that you were born a Winchester this time." God explains to her as he softens his stare.

"What do you mean 'I've been around for awhile'?"

"Keshet this is your ten thousandth reincarnation."

"What!"

"Yes you were created by me to help stop the wars that Lucifer and Michael tended to start between one another. I love my sons, but those two bicker like cats and dogs. So in order to keep them from destroying the world I made you."

"So basically I'm a referee between those two… well that really doesn't surprise me, but what do my brothers have to do with this?"

"Well it was prophesized along time ago that Lucifer and Michael would take on human vessels and fight for the control of Heaven, Hell, and Earth. It was decided to be the Winchesters basically because of the potential Mary and John had as hunters. I needed to make sure the vessels would be physically adept to handle my sons…. So anyways I only planned on letting John Winchester to have two kids both being sons. But I guess fate is a funny thing plus Mary had something to do with that too…. However that is neither here nor there." God explains leaving out the part about Azazel, knowing when Steff finally figures that out there will be hell to pay.

"So basically Lucifer and Michael were going to possess Sam and Dean." Steff says summing up his story.

"Yeah that's about it."

"Then they were going to fight to the death, eventually killing either Sam or Dean."

"Yeah, that's basically it."

"For the love of… Why would you do that?" Steff asks in mild horror unable to believe he could be that cruel.

"Well at the time I thought it would be better then them destroying all worlds." God says quickly.

"But… Wait if the Keshet has been around for so long why were they still fighting?"

"Until you Steff, the Keshet would only be a friend to Lucifer or you were once mated to Michael. Effectively keeping the peace between them… You're the first one to actually mate with Lucifer in his entire life, plus bond with Michael at the same time… quite ambitious Steffanie." God explains reverently to Steff.

"Oh." Steff mutters in surprise, though it explains why she felt so at ease around the stiff angel.

"Yeah you think you're surprised. How do you think I feel?" God asks as he stretches his limbs out casually then settles back down.

"Sorry God… It's just what Winchesters do."

"Yes I suppose it is, but tell me Steffanie what'll you do with this information." God asks her curiously as he lies back in the sun and closes his eyes.

"Nothing really, it's just nice to know why people are trying to kill my mate and I, I suppose." Steff says with a sigh and lies opposite of God also in the sun then lowers the barrier she put up around her and God.

About 12 hours later

Lucifer had been napping on Bobby's couch when he suddenly felt Steff's location come to him.

"Found her!" Lucifer says loudly.

"Found who?" Bobby asks while looking up from his book that he was reading at the desk in the living room.

"Steff and she's with…."

"Who is she with?"

"Father…" Lucifer utters quietly.

"Lucifer it seems like both you and Steff have father issues. Why?" Bobby asks knowing the story about Lucifer, but he felt that there was a little more to it then what the Christians wrote down.

"Well mine ordered my brother to cast me out, and you know why Steff hates hers. Bobby you shouldn't ask stupid questions." Lucifer says to him voice over toned with anger and spite.

"Sorry I asked…"

"Bobby I'm sorry it's not your fault…" Lucifer apologizes quietly.

"It's alright Lucifer… I killed my father." Bobby adds, knowing that had to have been one of his defining moments. When he had killed his drunken and abusive father.

"Yeah I thought so, patricide leaves a mark on the soul." Lucifer responds as he looks to the man with pity.

"Really, well you gonna go get her or what?" Bobby asks impatiently, he didn't really want to have a heart to heart with the devil.

"Yeah I suppose I probably should, shouldn't I?"

"Probably, she is your wife."

"Sometimes I wonder." Lucifer says with a laugh and disappears.

"Seven bucks says one of them comes back injured." Dean bets as he walks down from upstairs.

"Idjits." Bobby says as he goes back to his book.

God and Steff

"So how long till…" God starts, but stops when Lucifer shows up.

"Speak of the devil." Steff says from her spot in the sun.

"There you are Steff, you really need to start leaving notes." Lucifer says as he walks over to his lioness.

"Sorry I never picked up the habit, plus I was with your father." Steff purrs to him as he strokes her head.

"Yeah what were you doing with him anyways?" Lucifer asks curiously.

"Nothing." Steff says quickly as she turns into a cat, and wanders away from Lucifer and God. She had felt the presence of a hiker in danger and was going to check it out.

"Sweetheart where are you going?" Lucifer asks as he follows her.

"It's a surprise."

"Keshet come back." God orders.

"Hmm… no." Steff says as she keeps walking away.

"Steff get back here… now." Lucifer orders.

"You could have the ruler of middle earth order me back, I still ain't stopping." Steff says defiantly. God and Lucifer just sigh while they watch her disappear into the canyon.

"She's a tough one son."

"Yeah she is, but I love her." Lucifer says lovingly.

"Just like you."

"Sure Father… are we done now?" Lucifer asks as he turns to walk away.

"Actually no we're not, I told her about the Apocalypse."

"God damn it! That was the one thing I wanted her to not know… the one fucking thing." Lucifer shouts angrily.

"She deserves to know Lucifer, and don't take that tone with me I am still your father." God warns.

"What are you gonna do Dad ground me to Hell?" Lucifer asks sarcastically.

"No, but I can put you in the cage for a millennia." God threatens.

"You wouldn't dare." Lucifer says to him as he flexes his wings back.

"Try me son."

"Fine, I'm leaving bye."

"For the love of … Lucifer please stop… I love you Luc, I'm sorry." God exclaims to his wayward son wishing that every conversation he had with him didn't end in an argument. Lucifer stops walking and turns to face his father.

"I'm sure you do, but I don't love you… I hate you… I hate what you did to me… I hate what you did to my brothers, but most of all I hate what you did to my wife." Lucifer spits at him.

"Lucifer your still here!" Steff asks as she comes back with blood on her shirt and wings.

"Steff what…"

"Oh this… it's nothing should have seen the other guys." Steff says with a smile and wobbles a little bit.

"Are you okay Sweetheart?"

"Yeah it's just blood loss…. I'm tired Luci." Steff states as she leans against Lucifer sleepily.

"How about we go back to Bobby's then you can take nap?"

"Okay… hey don't be mad at your father he loves you…. Unlike mine, but yours is better… he made me for you." Steff mumbles sleepily against her mate as she closes her eyes.

"I know Sweetheart, Father I need to take care of her. I'll talk to you later." Lucifer says as he picks her up and flies them back to Bobby's.

Bobby's House

"I knew it!" Dean says as they appear before them.

"Eagan…" Steff mumbles into Lucifer chest.

"What is she dreaming about?" Sam asks as he walks down the stairs.

"Umm… it's not a dream…. How in god's name?" Lucifer questions as he reads her mind.

"What?" Dean asks.

"No need for alarm, but I'm pretty sure she just had a prophetic dream." Lucifer says as he turns to the men and angels in the room with a look of confusion.

"How she isn't an angel of prophecy?" Cas says as he takes her from Lucifer and gently lays her on the couch.

"Eagan!" Steff shouts out as she wakes, bolts upright, and immediately disappears.

"Where did she go now?" Michael asks worriedly looking around the room for her.

"I have no clue." Lucifer answers still in shock over what just happened.

"Can you sense her?" Michael asks.

"Yes." Cas and Lucifer respond.

"Wasn't she injured?" Bobby points out.

"She mentioned something about blood loss, but… hold on I got an idea…. Wyatt!" Lucifer says as he shouts into the air.

"Yeah you need something Lucifer." Wyatt says as he shows up.

"Is the Keshet supposed to have powers of prophecy?" Lucifer asks.

"I knew it!" Wyatt says with a smile.

"Knew what?" Michael says.

"That… um… nothing… actually now that I think about it, it's really not that important…. To answer your question Lucifer the Keshets have been known to have the occasional prophetic dream." Wyatt answers helpfully.

"Wait what do you mean 'Keshets' I thought Steff was the first one?" Lucifer says in confusion clearly not aware of what he thought God had said to her.

"No this is her ten thousandth reincarnation…. You really don't know… do you?" Wyatt says in confusion thinking he surely would have figured it out by now.

"Explain Wyatt." Michael orders.

"The Keshet is the most powerful archangel only seconded by God. She was created to keep the peace between you two. Usually she is an angel who is friends to one of you or a mate… I think her last form was a female ice angel… Roslinda…. Rosaria…. Rochelle…" Wyatt says trying to remember.

"Rosalyn." Michael mumbles quietly in shock.

"Yeah that's it!" Wyatt says with a smile.

"Oh shit…." Lucifer says as he looks from Wyatt to Michael then disappears.

"LUCIFER!" Michael shouts in fury flying after his brother.

"What just happened?" Dean asks.

"Remember when Michael was drunk and he was talking about his last mate." Sam says to him.

"Yeah, so…" Dean says trying to get to the point.

"So Steff is the reincarnation of Michael's mate Rosalyn. The mate that Lucifer caused to commit suicide." Sam explains to Dean.

"Oh…" Dean trails off finally understanding.

"That makes sense why she was so trusting of Michael in the beginning…. Plus that also why she probably didn't break in Hell when Lucifer first got to her." Bobby points out.

"Yes Bobby it does, but she might be needed right now seeing as Michael is about to kill Lucifer." Wyatt points out.

"Steff we need you right now, so get your feathered ass back here!" Dean shouts into the air, but no Steff only a piece of paper floats into his hand.

"To whom has called,

If you are receiving this letter than you are in need of my assistance. However I am busy saving a colony of nathair dóiteáin from a deadly plague; that is sweeping through the caretakers and threatening the children's safety. I shall be back when I can, though if it's a life or death problem you can call my mate Lucifer.

Sincerely, Steff."

"What do we do now?" Dean says after finishing the note.

"Honestly Dean, I have no clue." Cas says trying to think of anything that could be done.

"Why don't you track her, then drag her ass back?" Dean suggests.

"Dude, she's saving people." Sam points out.

"So what Sam, we need her here." Dean argues back.

"Leave her for now if she isn't back in a month I'll try to get her." Cas says as he flies back to Heaven to see what orders his father has for him.

"I guess that's it…. Hey you ready for a hunt Sam?"

"Sure." Sam answers as he and Dean say goodbye to Bobby. Then they head out for the next hunt.


	35. The Loss of Grace

About three months later

It has been three months since Steff has disappeared. Cas had tried to go get her after the first month, but she just sent another note and hid the entire encampment from all angels. The dream she had wasn't a prophetic dream, but rather a cry for help. See Eagan and his camp were suffering from a strain of mutated tuberculosis. Being as most of the people in the camp were young children this disease was sweeping through the camp at a frightening rate. When Eagan had called for Steff he had twenty sick kids and four sick nathair dóiteáins. Eagan wasn't worried for his kind until he noticed that the sick nathair dóiteáin weren't recovering. By the time he had prayed to Steff, Eagan himself had caught the tuberculosis and was dying. Steff had gotten there just in time to save him and most of the children, but not all of them a few of the younger children had died. After the first few weeks she managed to heal everyone of the disease. Then she spent another five weeks cleansing the entire Irish countryside of the sickness; ensuring that no being would catch it, or bring it back to the camp. This last month was spent helping rebuild, and replenish the camp due to all the odd natural disasters happening lately. After three months on one mild, moonlit night Eagan finally decides to ask why no one has showed up for Steff yet.

"Beag taur cathea, why are you still here? Shouldn't you have gone back, or have been dragged back at least by now?" Eagan questions as he and Steff were bandaging up one of the nathairs from when a rock had fallen on her arm during a recent mudslide.

"Probably, but I want to make sure you'll be okay…. There Willow, I'm done you can go." Steff says pleasantly as she finishes with the last bandage.

"Thank you Steff." Willow thanks as she leaves, "Young misters get out of the puddle please." She scolds while she walks out the door.

"Steff what aren't you telling me?" Eagan asks as he puts his tools away and approaches Steff.

"Eagan…"

"Beag taur cathea…"

"Mrs. Winchester he pushed me." One of the children interrupts as he runs in with a bloody knee.

"Jeremy come here I'll heal it." Steff says gently as the young boy approaches her. She heals him and he gives her a hug.

"Before my momma and daddy died; my momma used to say angels watched over me, but I always thought she was kidding…. Now I know she was right… I miss my momma Mrs. Winchester." Jeremy says as he begins to cry.

"It's alright Jeremy shhh… hey wanna know a secret?" Steff asks the seven-year-old boy. Jeremy just shakes his head in yes as Steff wipes his tears away. "Your momma is in Heaven with your daddy and they told me to tell you that they love you and miss you lots… in fact he even told me that they found your puppy Digger, and they are all living happily waiting for you." Steff says comfortingly as she picks up the boy and lays him against her shoulder while humming 'Smoke on the Water', just like Dean would do for her. Jeremy falls asleep quickly giving her a reason to leave, and take the boy to his room. However she doesn't count on Eagan following her there, and then waiting for her outside the room.

"Steff come with me, let's take a walk."

"Eagan I'm tired can't we do this later?"

"No my beag taur cathea, and besides I've seen you go four days with little more then two hours of sleep. Especially in the beginning when the sickness was the worst." Eagan says as they walk into the surrounding forest mostly guarded with the nathair.

"Logan you can go Steff and I will protect this sector." Eagan says as he dismisses his brother.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Steff asks wearily after Logan leaves. Eagan doesn't say anything at first, but rather just walks deeper into the forest.

"Have you noticed all the disasters of late?"

"Yes." Steff answers warily not sure what he's getting at.

"Don't you find that rather odd?"

"A little, but what's your point?"

"Steff I'm just trying to figure out why your still here."

"Yes Mrs. Winchester why are you still here?" God asks impatiently as he shows up suddenly. With his Keshet gone his two oldest sons were making his life a little turbulent.

"God." Steff says as she watches Eagan slither off back to the camp.

"Steff is this where you have been for these last few months?"

"Yes I was helping this nathair dóiteáin and their charges."

"Have you any idea the mess Lucifer and Michael are making out there in the world." God says to her angrily.

"I take it your talking about those disasters too." Steff replies coolly.

"I am and if you don't stop them…. I will." God says authoritatively with a threatening gesture.

"Why haven't you yet?"

"Because I don't want to put Lucifer in his cage, and I really don't want to put Michael in his." God sighs, remembering how upset it makes them. "However if you don't stop them, I will." God threatens and she just sighs.

"Fine God I'll go stop them, just let me say goodbye." Steff says in defeat as she sighs and lifts the barrier around the camp.

"Very well, but you must be quick." God says as he watches Steff go back to the camp and then a few minutes later come back. "Keshet why are you so sad, this is what you were meant for."

"I know."

"I will never understand any of you, you know that right." God says as he transports them both to the area of Heaven that he confined the brothers to. He was hoping to minimize destruction to Heaven and Earth. This is where they find Michael and Lucifer in the middle of a fight.

Heaven

"How could you do that?" Michael shouts in rage at Lucifer while he sends a strike of lightning at him. Lucifer just dodges and sends a shard of ice at Michael in return.

"I didn't know it was her Michael. No one informed me of her status, hell you didn't even realize it till a few months ago." Lucifer answers neither of them noticing Steff or God.

"Stop." Steff orders quietly and neither of them stop.

"Keshet I don't think they can hear you." God adds quietly.

"I said ENOUGH!" Steff orders this time a little louder, and she uses her powers to put a wall of fire between them. Both of the archangels stop in surprise, and turn to the angel who stopped them.

"Sweetheart your back!" Lucifer says cheerily as he flies over to her and hugs her tight.

"I am." Steff regards calmly from his arms.

"Rosalyn come here now!" Michael orders and Steff stiffens in Lucifer's arms then slowly she pulls from his embrace and walks over to Michael. Michael immediately smiles and embraces her happily, "Ray oh how I have missed you."

"I'm not your Rosalyn anymore Michael… I am Lucifer's Steff… I'm sorry, but it's just not me anymore." Steff informs him sadly expecting him to release her, but he just holds on tighter.

"I …I. I know." Michael admits as tears fall from his eyes having gotten tired of the fighting and the anger. Steff just sighs and puts a hand in his wings healing the damage, and then soothing them.

"I'm sorry." Steff says quietly against his shoulder.

"Steff…" Michael mumbles quietly as he just holds her in his arms crying silently.

"Shhh it's alright Michael… shhh." Steff says comforting the weeping angel, all the while Lucifer just stands there looking guilty. God too just stands there having never really been the one to comfort his sons except for the time they broke their wings. He usually let Joshua or one of the other angels do it.

"I miss her." Michael stutters into Steff's shoulder as she wraps her wings around him.

"I know Michael come on let's get you to your heaven hmm…" Steff suggests to him as she pulls out of his grip only to be pulled back. She just pulls back a little so she is walking with her arm around his middle. Lucifer and God just watch as they leave.

"Dad can't you help him?" Lucifer asks his father sadly.

"I wish I could Lucifer… I wish I could."

"Dad your God you could bring Rosalyn back… hell you could do anything you wanted to." Lucifer says as anger returns to his voice.

"Lucifer I cannot."

"Why the hell not?" Lucifer shouts angry that his father will do nothing to ease his brother's pain.

"Luc you don't understand… I would if I could believe me, but for the sake of your mate I cannot." God says calmly not wanting to fight with his rebellious son.

"God I hate when you do that!"

"Lucifer you will show me some respect, I am your father!" God says sharply. He will tolerate a lot, but he will not tolerate blatant disrespect.

"Dad I will show you nothing till you earn it!" Lucifer rebuts angrily.

"Fine if you want her back so bad then here!" God says quickly as he leaves Lucifer glaring after him. God finds Steff and Michael in his Heaven on a bed. Steff sits on the bed next to his wings stroking them gently as she whispered words of comfort to him. Steff immediately feels the disruption, and uses her powers to put Michael into a deep sleep. She walks over to God with a pleasant smile, but he says nothing as he reaches into her soul quickly then pulls a part of it out. Then flies off leaving Steff gasping in pain on the floor of Michael's Heaven. After a few minutes of agonizing pain she blacks out.

Two days later

Steff awakes to find that she isn't on the floor of Michael's Heaven anymore…. In fact she isn't even in Heaven anymore. She is lying on the side of a rural road in the middle of nowhere.

"Where am I?" Steff whispers out quietly noticing her voice is scratchy and hoarse. Deciding that she needs to find out what's going on she decides to try and fly, but notices she can't. When she looks back her wings are gone not even a trace of them at this she let's out an ear piercing cry.

"My wings… where are my wings!" She cries out reaching back only to feel nothing, but air.

"Look what we have here." A man says threateningly, Steff never even noticed the pick up truck that stopped by her, to preoccupied with her own problems.

"My…. my wings, where…" Steff says still in shock not even noticing the advancing threat.

"Grab her." The man orders as he and his partner move towards the once angelic girl. As soon as they grab her arms she wakes out her trance and wrenches her arms free.

"Let go of me!" Steff says as she tries to use her powers, but feels nothing. The men just laugh as they grab her again.

"Be a good little lady and we won't rough you up… too much." One of the men says to her. Steff just fights harder to get free and she manages to break their grip then takes off at a full sprint down the road trying to get away from them.

"Lucifer! Cas! Gabriel, Balthazar please someone help!" She says as she sprints down the road wishing she had some kind of weapon at all. Doing a mental check she realizes that she is still in her normal clothes missing nothing, but her wings and powers.

"Now Sweetheart just come on back here, we won't hurt you too bad." A man says in a sickly sweet voice that Steff instantly recognizes as a demon's, as he catches up with her. Steff drops into a fighting stance ready to defend herself from these two demons, knowing even when she was human she could easily take out two.

"Look here Cal we got ourselves a fighter, well come on Sweetheart show us your best." He taunts Steff. She starts off with a kick to the man's groin and finishes with a punch to the nose, breaking it while he goes down with a grunt of pain.

"Come on Cal show me whatcha got." Steff says with a taunt drawing her knife from her boot feeling the blade warm in her hand.

"Oh Sweetheart you are gonna be in a world of hurt." Cal says menacingly as he advances toward her.

"Don't you recognize me?" Steff says hoping this is one of the demons loyal to Lucifer.

"No."

"I am Steffanie Winchester, your ruler's mate. Now if you wanna live I suggest you take your pal and go." Steff says and looks for any sign that her threat worked.

"If you were really Mrs. Winchester we would have been dead already." Cal says as he throws a punch at her.

"Fine!" Steff says as she gets an opening and plunges the knife in then watches as it kills him.

"Cal! You bitch you're gonna pay for that!" He says as he knocks Steff off her feet with sheer force. He pins her down with his body and picks up her knife. Then he runs it gently across her throat.

"If your gonna kill me do it already." Steff taunts and watches as he draws back his arm then plunges it into her throat. She just laughs as chokes on her own blood.

"This is definitely not how I thought I would go." Steff mutters out.

"STEFF!" She hears right before she blacks out again.

Six hours later

When Steff awakes again she is on a large bed in a large room. She feels around her neck, and to her surprise it is angelically healed.

"Hello?" Steff says quietly, her voice really hoarse now. She hears no response so she decides to get up, but when she does she notices that she is tied to the bed. Steff tries to untie the rope, but can't keep focused enough to do it. So she just sits back down and figures that if it's an angel it can't be that bad. Eventually the angel comes back to the room, and she is pleasantly surprised when it's Gabriel.

"Morning sleeping beauty."

"Gabe, where the hell am I?" Steff asks as he hands her a glass of water. She tries to check it for drugs, but then she remembers that she has no powers.

"Currently your in my summer home." Gabriel says not asking the obvious question as she drinks the glass of water slowly, and they just sit in silence for a few minutes.

"Gabriel I need you to do something." Steff says getting right to the point.

"What?"

"I need you to touch my soul, and tell me what you find." Steff says solemnly not looking forward to the pain especially without grace to ease it.

"So you can't just explain this one the easy way can you?" Gabriel asks having always dreaded this kind of procedure. Since it caused the recipient so much pain, and not that he is against causing someone pain it's just… he only likes it when it's for something they deserved.

"No, now can you do this for me."

"I will, can you lie down it makes this easier." Gabriel says as he rolls up his right sleeve. Steff grits her teeth in pain and screams when Gabriel sticks his hand in. All the while using his powers to hold her down, it takes Gabriel about two minutes to find what he's looking for.

"Steff your…." Gabriel starts, but can't quite verbalize the rest of it because he knows this must be traumatic for the once angelic woman.

"I figured as much Gabe…. It crossed my mind when I couldn't use any of my powers… my wings Gabriel my wings are gone." Steff says sadly as she leans on Gabriel with her eyes closed and body shaking in fear.

"It's alright Steff we'll fix this." Gabriel says comfortingly as he rubs her back in soothing circles.

"Gabriel my wings…" Steff trails off sadly as she meets his gaze.

"It'll be fine…. I'm sure there is a perfectly good explanation for this…. We … uh… we just need to find Lucifer and Michael they'll know what to do." Gabriel says to a very frightened Steff and she just nods her head with big hopeful eyes.

"Gabe I need you to heal my wrist." Steff says as she extends her arm to him and he heals it.

"There all better, now come on let's get you back to your brothers." Gabriel suggests knowing that was probably the safest place for her right now, as he grabs her arm but she pulls away.

"Gabe no."

"Steff…."

"Gabriel…"

"Steff yes."

"No Gabriel."

"Alright I'll bite, why not?" Gabriel asks tired of arguing with her.

"Because I don't want to."

"Steff you sound like a child."

"You are a child."

"Really this is childish, Steff we are going. Now come over here."

"Nope." Steff says as she tries to walk away, but forgets she is tied to the bed, "Dammit."

"Let's go." Gabriel says as he puts a hand on her then they disappear, and end up in a dark motel room.

"AHH!" Both Winchesters shout as they grab their weapons and shoot.

"Shit!" Steff says as she dives for the floor. Gabriel just laughs and flashes across the room.

"Sammy that is no way to say hello to your angel." Gabriel taunts as he helps Steff up.

"Seriously guys, you could at least wait a minute!" Steff shouts angrily at them.

"Steff you're an angel, bullets won't hurt you." Dean points out as he turns on the lamp.

"About that…" Steff says as she looks down at the ground trying not to tear up having held them in for this long.

"Steff where are your wings?" Sam asks as he gets up and walks over to Steff, examining her back. Seeing nothing there he thinks she might have turned them invisible, like she did when they went on hunts sometimes. So he puts his hand there, but he still feels nothing. "Steff what happened?" Sam asks worriedly.

"Sam please the last few days haven't been the best, and I really don't want to talk about it right now. So can we just go to bed I'll tell you in the morning." Steff says sadly missing her feathery appendages; despite all the trouble they've caused her. Cause truth be told she actually did enjoy when someone petted them.

"Okay, but in the morning you will explain." Dean orders as he and Sam go back to their beds, and Steff goes outside to sit for a while just watching the moon.

"Steff I need to leave, Michael needs me. Can you go inside I want to be sure you're safe?" Gabriel asks her gently, knowing this had to be hard for her.

"Sure Gabe I will in a minute…." Steff says with a sigh.

"Steff you know I will fix this… I'll find Cas and I know he'll help… " Gabriel vows to her as he sits down next to her and wraps her in two of his wings. Steff just leans into his side and he pulls the wings tighter, holding the woman.

"I know Gabe… I don't understand why God would do this to me… I didn't provoke him I was just helping Michael… How can he be so cruel? …" Steff says in confusion trying to blink back her tears.

"Father can be cruel." Gabriel says in agreement with her.

"I miss him Gabriel… where is he?" Steff asks wondering where her mate is during all of this.

"I'm sure he is on the way." Gabriel assures her as he gives her a smile, and she just stares up at the moon.

"Gabe I'm going inside now." Steff says quietly as she gets up and walks back inside.

"Okay, night."

"Night." Steff says as she walks inside to find Dean and Sam peacefully sleeping on their beds. She walks over to Dean's bed and lies down on the side he isn't using.

"Hey Steff." Dean mumbles sleepily.

"Dean can I sleep here?"

"Sure Steff." Dean mutters with a smile as he rolls over to face her. Steff however doesn't return the smile she just falls asleep next to him.

Morning

After everyone woke up, had a shower, and breakfast it was time for Steff to explain the situation. When she did it only confused her brothers and her even more.

"So your telling me God ripped the angel out of you." Dean says making sure he had heard her correctly.

"Exactly Dean and all I did was help Michael."

"What if it wasn't all your fault?" Lucifer says as he suddenly shows up.

"Huh?" Steff says in confusion.

"I may have inadvertently caused this." Lucifer says while looking down at the floor in shame.

"WHAT HAPPENED!?" Steff shouts at him furiously.

"I thought he would just bring Rosalyn back… I was trying to help him… I wanted him to be happy like us." Lucifer says quietly to her trying to explain the situation.

"How… I thought…. I loved you…" Steff says in confusion and hurt backing away from him as he approaches her. "I should have known… I should have… it was to good to be true." Steff says as she runs out of the motel room near tears again.

"Sweetheart come back!" Lucifer begs as he goes after her.

"Don't call me that you… you selfish bastard… you never think of others do you?" Steff shouts at him accusatorily as she keeps walking away.

"Steff I'm …"

"God help me if you say sorry… Lucifer I will…. god you… I can't even deal with this right now… Go!"

"Sweet…"

"JUST GO!" Steff orders as she turns around with fire in her eyes, and a knife in hand.

"No. I won't leave you like this."

"If you don't Lucifer I will kill you, now LEAVE!" Steff spits out at him fury in her eyes.

"Steff I can't go, you can get killed like this, I won't leave you."

"Fine then I'll make you!" Steff says as she cuts her hand and draws the angel banishing sigil so quickly, before Lucifer can react she completes the spell sending him back to Heaven. Her brothers just watch in shock over what had happened, having never seen Steff that angry… ever. Steff just dries the tears that had formed in anger on her sleeve, while walking over to the first aid kit and stitches her hand closed then bandages it.

"Steff…" Dean starts, but Steff cuts him off angrily.

"No we are not talking about this right now. Did you guys finish the hunt here?"

"Yeah we killed it yesterday." Sam answers as he packs his bag.

"Good let's go, I'll pack the Impala." Steff says curtly as she grabs a duffle full of weapons and walks back outside. She leaves the door cracked and the men hear her scream out in frustration, "Why in the name of my ever loving fucking mother did I marry him? This is exactly why teens don't marry…. Then again who ever thinks 'damn today I think I'll marry the god damn devil'… fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!" After hearing that Sam and Dean just quickly grab their stuff and get back on the road.

Few hours later

Dean chances a look into the rear mirror at Steff to find her glaring out of the window.

"Steff how you doing?"

"Dean I don't mean to be rude, but shut the fuck up." Steff says quickly eyes never leaving the window.

"Steff he's just…"

"Dean stop the car." Steff says not wanting to deal with this right now, lest she hurt someone, even without angel powers she knew how to kill a man with her thumb.

"Steff I'm not stopping the car."

"Stop it, or I will jump out." Steff threatens angrily.

"No, I would if you were still…" Dean starts, but doesn't finish knowing that mentioning that would be a bad idea.

"If I was still what? An angel… if I was still invincible, powerful, or what Dean?" Steff says with such venom that Dean and Sam just shut up. "That's what I thought… now stop the damn car!" Dean brings the car to a slow stop on the highway shoulder. Steff nods in quick thanks and gets out taking a pistol with her.

"Steff where will you go?" Sam asks from the front seat.

"Wherever the hell I want Sam… maybe I'll…." Steff says but then stops when she realizes that she can't do anything, she doesn't have wings anymore. She can't turn into a cat, she can't fly, she can't use her powers, and she is alone… so very, very alone, she can't feel Lucifer or Michael or even Cas. It's so quiet in her mind, the silence is deafening… she can't hear anything other than her thoughts. "Alone… I'm alone… so very alone …" Steff whispers with a voice full of fear as her humanity and terror finally sinks in. "Sam… I …" Steff starts, but trails off as she slides down to the ground with her back on the Impala and her eyes wide in fear. The boys get out quickly and move over to her.

"Hey it's alright Steff your not alone… we're right here… Sam and I are here aren't we?" Dean reassures her and looks to Sam for help.

"Yup we're not leaving, we're here." Sam says comfortingly.

"So quiet… alone…."

"Steff can you hear me?" Dean asks, but Steff has allowed her fear to consume her mind. So much so that she can't hear him and after a few minutes he just picks her up then puts her in the backseat. Sam sits there with her, constantly talking trying to wake her back up. Dean begins driving again and it's just after dusk when they get to Bobby's house. Steff is still in her trance, so Sam just carries her in and puts her on his bed upstairs then he goes downstairs.

"She still won't answer Dean." Sam tells him as he walks over to them.

"So she is completely human again." Bobby says looking for clarification and her brothers just nod.

"Bobby what do we do?" Dean asks, not knowing what to do Steff usually snaps out of it by now.

"Was she talking about being alone?" Bobby asks having dealt with Steff once before like this after a witch had gotten to her.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Sam asks.

"I dealt with this once… though it wasn't this bad." Bobby says to them.

"How do we fix it?" Dean asks.

"Go sit with her for a while it worked for me, but it wasn't nearly this bad." Bobby says to them. So Dean walks up the stairs to find Steff sitting with her back against the wall mumbling an exorcism spell to her self. He walks over to her, but she just bolts away suddenly knowing what she needs to do. She rushes past all of them to the panic room and locks the door behind her. They rush down after her.

"Steff unlock the door." Dean orders as he pounds on the door.

"No, I'm going to see Wes… forever…." Steff says hollowly while the men watch through the little window in the door as Steff slowly grabs the gun from her back pocket.

"STEFF!" Dean shouts in panic as he pounds on the door, knowing Steff would never pull a gun without the intent to use it.

"Dean it's okay…. I'll say hello to Mary while I'm there." Steff assures him as she puts the gun to her head. Her brothers are just frantically pounding on the door trying to stop her.

"STEFFANIE MARIE WINCHESTER!" Cas shouts angrily as he shows up next to her immediately he grabs the gun from her hand.

"Give it back." Steff orders hollowly.

"Steff no!" Cas says as he walks over to her. "Steff it will be alright."

"NO CASTIEL IT WON'T!" Steff says suddenly as she breaks into sobs, and falls to her knees in defeat… even as a human she can't get herself killed. Cas just lowers to her level and tries to comfort her, but she pushes his hands away. "Just leave me alone." Steff mutters as she leans back against the wall sobbing.

"Steff I can't leave you. You didn't leave me, so I won't leave you." Cas says as he pulls the sobbing young lady into his arms. "Shh it's okay… Shhh we'll figure out why my father would do this… Hush your not alone anymore Steff I will never leave you alone okay?" Cas says comfortingly to her as he strokes her back where her wings used to be.

"I… I … I can't feel them anymore Cas… it's so… lonely…"

"Steff it's okay." Cas assures her having remembered the how it felt to lose the bond after so long. He can't even imagine how she is dealing with the loss of grace and wings as well.

"Cas what if someone needs help? Without my powers and wings I'm useless, just a weak…"

"Steff they will just have to manage on their own for now."

"Cas I can't…."

"Yes you can and you will, now do I have to chain you to this bed and take the weapons with me."

"Don't leave me." Steff begs as she holds onto him tightly.

"Steff I need to leave. I need to find Michael and see what's going on." Cas says to her as he pulls from her gently, "Do you want me to get Lucifer?"

"No this is his fault." Steff says as her tears dry and turn to anger.

"I see, well then you should be fine with your family then."

"Cas… just… uh… get my wings back please." Steff says as she gives him a quick hug; Cas smiles and disappears up to Heaven. Steff just sits back down in a corner of the panic room trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall again.

"Open the door Steff." Bobby orders from the outside. Steff just shakes her head in 'no', and pulls her knees up to her chest then rests her head on them.

"Please Steff…"

"No Bobby, just leave."

"Didn't you just beg Cas to stay?" Dean points out to her in frustration.

"Shut up Dean." Steff mutters from inside the room.

"Fine, but if you want to talk about this I'm sure Sam will listen… I need a drink." Dean says as he leaves with Bobby following him. Sam however just sits down on the outside of the door. After about an hour Steff slowly opens the door in an attempt to sneak out, but Sam who was sleeping against the door meets her. She tries to just close the door again, but its too late Sam is already awake.

"Steff wait."

"Sam I don't want to talk about this."

"Okay, but don't close yourself off from us."

"Sam…"  
"Steff you know locking yourself away won't help you deal with this."

"I…"

"Weren't you just cursing your wings awhile ago?"

"Well now I guess I'm eating my words aren't I?"

"Come on, let's go get a drink… we can harass Dean while we're there." Sam suggests with a smile.

"Sure Sam just give me twenty minutes, I'm gonna go take a shower." Steff lies, she has no intention of going with Sam. In fact as soon as she gets into the bathroom she locks the door, then manages to shimmy out the small octagon window. After that she carefully uses the gutters to climb down from the two-story house. Once on the ground she makes her way to the garage quietly looking for any sign of Bobby or Dean. She notices the Impala is gone and Bobby's car is gone too, so she looks around for another available car. Steff finally finds one, an old beat up 1997 gray mustang with two mismatched doors. Figuring she has little time left she doesn't bother looking for the keys; she just hot wires it, glad that it has a full tank of gas. With her newfound mode of transportation she drives out of the junkyard not really sure where she is going, just knowing that she can't stay there. About thirty minutes later her cell phone begins to ring with the tone that signifies Sam. She picks up the phone, but says nothing just listens to Sam asking her to come back and threatening to tell Dean.

"Bye Sam." She whispers and closes the phone with tears forming on the corners of her eyes.

15 ish hours later

So Steff drives and drives till she comes to a small bar just outside of Helper, UT deciding after 15 some hours of driving she could use a drink. She first gets a room at a cheap local motel then heads to the town bar. The bar is called The Fire Within it's a small joint that could use a paint job both in and out…. Plus it screams infectious diseases this way but regardless Steff needs a drink, and this was the only place in town so she enters the bar. Not really to her surprise she finds it full of country looking folk, but what's really strange is the feeling of familiarity that overcomes her. Glancing around the bar after she sifts through the sea of flannel, and jean jackets to find an all to familiar black sports coat. Steff saunters over to find Balthazar drinking from a bottle of whiskey.

"Funny meeting you here. I didn't think redneck was your chosen drinking establishment." Steff teases as she slides in to the other side of the booth next to the drinking angel.

"And who are you exactly?" Balthazar asks in a hazy confusion, as he looks the human over. While looking her over, he can't help but stare at the redhead standing before him because he thought she was… absolutely gorgeous.

"Wow that's a little hurtful Balthy… don't even recognize me without my wings." Steff says having managed to subdue her fear pertaining to the whole human thing on her long drive. So for now she just accepted the fact that she was a human, and Cas and Gabriel would fix it when they could. However she can't help the blush that colors her face when she notices Balthazar checking her out. Steff doesn't know why she never noticed how handsome he was till now. Though when she thought about it maybe it was because Lucifer always made it seem like he had some sort of weird possession over her.

"Steff…" Balthazar says in confusion, feeling absolutely nothing angelic about this woman.

"The one and only." Steff says with a weak smile as she takes the bottle from him and takes a long drink, glad for the warming effect it has as it travels down her throat. Steff wishes her mate was here, but then she remembers this was his fault to begin with.

"Darling what happened to you?" Balthazar asks as he slides closer, and feels her back. He feels nothing… not even a trace of angel in her.

"God… Lucifer… and Michael." Steff replies bitterly as she takes another long drink.

"Well they're quite a trio, my brothers and father." Balthazar says trying not to push the woman she looked fragile enough already. "So… what brings you to this lovely town?"

"I ran out of gas in my car, plus I'm pretty sure I have my brothers on my ass." Steff says with a heavy sigh as she lays her forehead on the table.

"Still running are we?" Balthazar comments as he rubs his wing on her shoulder comfortingly.

"Tactical fleeing Balthazar there is a difference a very, very, very subtle difference." Steff says as she leans her head on top of his shoulder, glad for the comfort enjoying the feeling of his soft wings on her.

"Sure and I'm an angel of truth." Balthazar says with a smile as he begins kneading her thigh sensually while he pulls her closer. He's surprised when she doesn't move away from him, and he realizes that her and Lucifer probably had a fight.

"Balthy I'm not complaining, but don't you have a mate?" Steff says curiously as she takes another big drink of the whiskey, picking her head up off of his shoulder.

"Bernael and I ended it awhile ago, she didn't like my personality." Balthazar says as he begins to kiss along Steff's neck. Causing her to moan in pleasure and with alcohol clouding her judgment, plus her earlier fight with Lucifer. She doesn't object as Balthazar continues rubbing, and kissing slowly going higher and higher till he's by her ear nipping and kissing it.

"Balth…" Steff moans out quietly as he transports them back to her motel room.

Motel

"Steff even for you this is cheap." Balthazar says hurriedly as he takes off his shirt and gets on the bed.

"Shut up and strip." Steff orders with a smile as she follows suit. Jumping on the bed landing on top of him as she begins kissing her way down his bare chest. Balthazar lets out breathy moans, but whimpers when Steff suddenly stops.

"Darling what's wrong?" Balthazar asks as he rolls them over so he is on top of her, and he begins kissing his way down her chest. She was still wearing her bra.

"Balthy I love this don't get me wrong, and god knows you're sexy, but this feels… wrong." Steff says as she lets out a small moan when Balthazar keeps kissing.

"Steff what's wrong is how God ripped away your angelic abilities; then how he left you alone on the side of a road… Plus this whole mess is your mate's fault; if I were your mate I would have never caused this. Nor would I have left you alone afterwards unprotected, and to deal with the crushing feeling of loneliness." Balthazar says with a knowing tone in between kisses still moving along her mid section. Steff just looks down to the angel who just smiles up at her lovingly.

"He… If only we had bonded Balthy." Steff resigns with a sharp breath when Balthazar moves lower after he pulled off her pants.

"I know, now relax so we can make up for lost time." Balthazar says seductively as he takes off the rest of his clothes, and Steff just laughs suddenly after he's on top of her. It causes her to laugh because it reminded her of the first time her and Lucifer had sex. Lucifer was so nervous that he tripped over his own pants and fell onto the headboard. He ended up falling so hard that he knocked himself unconscious, and Steff had to use her powers to revive him.

"Sorry it's not you…"

"Then what is it?" Balthazar says suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"It's just that… I can't do this Balthazar. Human, angel, or feline I can't cheat on him… it's… I just can't. I'm sorry and you are so very, very sexy and if you read my mind. You would know some of the impure thoughts I'm having about you angel, but I can't… here." Steff says in defeat as she tosses his clothes back to him.

"Actually I'm kinda glad you stopped me." Balthazar says with mild disappointment as he pulls his clothes back on. He read Steff's mind, and he hoped that one day they would have occasion for those thoughts.

"Really… why?" Steff asks as she pulls on a pair of sweats from her duffle.

"Don't get me wrong I would have kept going cause believe me for an ex-angel you're unbelievably attractive, but it just feels wrong right now… Plus I'm sure Lucifer would probably kill me, and that Darling would be very bad for moi." Balthazar explains with a smile as he settles next to Steff on the bed.

"Well can you at least stay with me?" Steff asks as she cuddles onto his chest.

"Steffanie I think you have some deep rooted abandonment issues, but I will stay." Balthazar says as he brushes her hair over her ear and kisses her forehead.

"Thanks… I hope Cas and Gabriel can fix this soon."

"Gabriel?" Balthazar asks with a raised eyebrow.

"He was the one who found me after I was stabbed in the throat. He promised he would fix this and if I know Gabriel, he will…. Eventually." Steff comments with a yawn as she snuggles deeper into his chest.

"You should sleep Steff."

"I will Balthy…" Steff expresses with a yawn as she falls asleep in his arms with his wings wrapped around her. Balthazar just sighs and strokes her back gently.

"Father please fix her soon." Balthazar prays quietly to his father. Then he too falls into a fitful sleep with Steff in his embrace both wearing small smiles.

Next Morning

Dean, Sam, and Bobby

When Steff fails to show up the next morning, her brothers go into full on search mode first Sam called Dean and told him what had happened. Then they tried to track her, but she took the GPS chip out of her cell. So basically she was untraceable unless she used one of their credit cards, but Sam was doubtful about that.

"Why don't you guys call an angel?" Bobby suggests to the flustered brothers.

"Because we shouldn't need angels to keep track of our human sister!" Dean shouts out in anger at him. "Sam why would you trust her right now… didn't she seem a little unstable to you?"

"No Dean she seemed better, in fact I thought it was a whole lot better then the zombie Steff we had earlier today." Sam shouts back at him just as angry, how was he supposed to know that she would up and leave?

"Alright idjits this isn't finding her so just calm down." Bobby tells them and both of them go to say something, but Bobby gives them a look and they stop.

"So what angel should we call?" Dean asks them trying to be productive.

"I would say Cas, but he is busy fixing this… so how about Balthazar he might know." Sam says and after gathering the stuff then saying the incantation and then they wait.

Steff and Balthazar

"Oh shit, Steff hold on!" Balthazar says as he's summoned with Steff still sleeping in his arms, he manages to keep them upright when they land in Bobby's house.

"Steff?" Sam and Dean say in surprise. Steff just moves beside Balthazar a little so he is slightly in front of her and she's wrapped protectively in his wing.

"So what can I do for you boys?" Balthazar asks as he curls his wing protectively around Steff.

"Well we were gonna ask you if you could find our sister, but… uh seems you beat us to it." Dean says as he walks forward towards her, but she just moves closer to Balthazar.

"Dean I don't think she wants to be here, so we're just gonna go…" Balthazar says as he just pulls Steff closer to him and she just allows it, secretly glad to know someone still cares for her.

"Not so fast Balthazar." Lucifer says menacingly as he walks in through the front door. Steff is now practically hiding behind Balthazar shaking a bit.

"Steff I will protect you." Balthazar whispers to her as he pulls her closer to him.

"Sweetheart are you gonna tell me what's going on here, and why you are wrapped in his wings." Lucifer asks expectantly as he glares at them.

"No what I do is my business and whom I spend my time with is my business too." Steff says confidently still a little shaky because she doesn't have angelic strength to back her up.

"Steffanie do not play games with me." Lucifer says as he walks over to her and can smell Balthazar all over her which just pisses him off even more, "Balthazar what did you do to her?"

"Nothing I just comforted an abandoned ex-angel who had just had her grace ripped from her soul. Then left to deal with the consequences on her own." Balthazar answers plainly as he holds Steff tightly and Steff just clings to him.

"You insolent, little, flea!" Lucifer says as he stalks forward, but Steff stands in front of Balthazar.

"I won't let you hurt him." Steff says as she meets his glare with a defiant stare finding her voice again even if she was human… and powerless… and about to possibly die… again.

"Oh really, what could you possibly do Steff? You're just a human… pathetic, weak, and… alone." Lucifer says threateningly as he keeps stalking forward, but Steff doesn't back down.

"No I'm not! If anything you're pathetic! You left me alone… didn't even come when I needed your help most… no it was your brothers who saved me... First Gabriel, then Cas, and even Balthazar, but where were you Lucifer? I'll tell you! Nowhere! You left me alone and you promised you never would, or do you forget the promise you made to me!" Steff shouts accusatorily at him meeting him with fire in her eyes.

"Steff you sent me away, so that's your fault!" Lucifer shouts back at her with just as much fire.

"What happened to the Lucifer who loved the chase?" Steff asks quietly, stopping Lucifer in his step.

"He…" Lucifer pauses as he backs off, not knowing what to say to her as she just continues lowering her voice a few notches though.

"I'll tell you what happened to him. He left me when his father came back more worried about making his brother feel better, then the safety off his own mate… I don't even know why I bother calling myself that anymore…" Steff says in defeat as she moves back to Balthazar, and he curls his wings around her.

"I'm…" Lucifer starts, but is cut off by the glare Steff gives him.

"Let me guess, sorry… Well I'm glad you're sorry Lucifer, really I am. Come on Balthazar let's go." Steff says bitterly and Balthazar nods. Steff doesn't really want to leave but she needs to know if Lucifer still cares for her anymore, and if he doesn't stop her then she knows it's really over.

"Wait Steff, stop I love you!" Lucifer shouts desperately as he tackles her out of Balthazar's grip before he can take off. Steff just smiles underneath him, glad to have the Lucifer that she bonded with so many years ago back.

"Finally that's all I wanted to hear Lucifer." Steff says with a sigh as she pulls her angel to her. "Mine."

"Yours." Lucifer responds to her, "I love you, and I love you with your wings or not…. But why do you smell like him…." Lucifer whispers to her in confusion mixed with a hint of worry.

"Um… it's not what you think we stopped before it got that far…" Steff says with a faint blush.

"I would have kept going, but she laughed at me." Balthazar mutters quietly with a downcast look, and she just gives him an apologetic glance.

"I told you it wasn't you, I just couldn't…" Steff starts, but stops when Lucifer gives Balthazar a look that could kill.

"Anyways so how exactly did you cause this?" Dean says suddenly rejoining the conversation.

"I asked my father to bring back Rosalyn for Michael and he did. He told me it would hurt my mate, but I was so focused on making Michael happy I didn't think of the consequences." Lucifer tells them regretfully as he pulls Steff to him and she just revels in his embrace.

"Wait, so it wasn't my fault?" Steff says in confusion.

"Of course not Sweetheart… Why would you think that?" Lucifer asks in even more confusion, knowing that she hasn't done anything lately to provoke his father.

"Because he just went up to me, ripped a part of my soul out, and then left me on the floor of Michael's heaven." Steff explains to him and they all share looks of confusion, but before anyone can say anything Cas appears suddenly.

"Steff quickly come here!" Cas says as he shows up with a ball of light and approaches Steff.

"Cas is that?"

"Yes now quickly." Cas says as Steff approaches him, "Steff lay down, alright now this will hurt… a lot." Steff nods he begins to put the ball of light back into Steff's soul.

"Dammit!" Steff shouts out and her body writhes in pain.

"I'm sorry almost done…. There." Cas says as he pulls his hand out of her body a few minutes later.

"Thanks Cas." Steff gasps out still trying to catch her breath but before she can, her wings decide to begin to grow at that exact moment, "AHH!"

"Steff what's wrong?" Lucifer says as he rushes to her side.

"Nothing Luci nothing…" Steff trails off as she fades into unconsciousness.

"Sweetheart… Sweetheart… Steff speak to me!" Lucifer says in panic shaking her body.

"Lucifer stop, you're going to hurt her." Cas says calmly as he takes Steff from him, and puts her on a bed upstairs. Lying on her stomach so when the wings come in they wouldn't cause her more pain... hopefully. Once he is done he walks back down the stairs.

"Is she back to normal again?" Sam asks hoping she is, he didn't like seeing his sister so distraught.

"She will be in about a week or so depending on how long it takes her body to readjust to angelic status." Cas answers him as he adjusts his sleeve, and everyone thinks all is well… until a bright flash of light appears followed by a fuming Michael.

"Where is she?" Michael demands as he shows up suddenly.

"Who Michael?" Lucifer asks in confusion.

"Rosalyn… Where is she Castiel?" Michael spits out at Castiel as he pushes Cas against a wall cracking it.

"She told me to put her back into her rightful place Michael…. Rosalyn told me she wanted to help her, when she saw how dangerous it was for her to be without her rightful power." Cas says trying to reason with an angry Michael.

"But…"

"Michael, Steff would've been killed had Gabriel not been close enough to hear her call." Cas says as Michael releases him and steps back a few steps.

"Mic she…" Lucifer starts, but stops when he notices Michael's wings begin to drag on the floor. Seeing nothing else to do Lucifer walks over to his brother and hugs him. "I'm sorry."

"Lucifer, I don't think she even liked me." Michael says regretfully.

"Brother, she never really liked you to begin with." Lucifer points out to him.

"She was only close to you to get to Lucifer." Cas tells him.

"After three hundred years I thought she loved me, but all she really wanted was you."

"Michael I tried to warn you in the beginning."

"I know Lucifer."

"At least we all have Steff and she cares for you… in fact I'm pretty sure she cares for us all." Balthazar points out with a smile.

"Balthazar I'm still not sure if I like what you and her almost did." Lucifer says warningly.

"Lucifer literally I was naked and she was naked, but right as I went to… you know… she laughed at me. Like literally just burst into laughter…. It was very belittling." Balthazar says as he looks at his feet.

"She laughed?" Dean asks with a snicker.

"You and her were naked?" Lucifer questions angrily, "Wait you were going to have sex!"

"Maybe…" Balthazar squeaks out as he backs away from his very angry and very powerful brother.

"For the love of father, which guardian angel doesn't try and either seduce my wife or kidnap her and force her to love them." Lucifer throws his hands in anger while glaring at Cas and Balthazar, "Seriously brothers, she's mine!"

"Lucifer my soul is big enough for all of…." Steff says quietly from the top of the stairs, but just fades out again and falls forward.

"Steff!" Lucifer says as he catches her, "Stupid, Keshet." He mutters as he puts her back on Dean's bed. When he gets back downstairs he sees Balthazar and Cas looking down at the ground like kicked puppies.

"I swear if either of you try something like that again I will kill you… especially you Balthazar because she was tipsy, you however were sober-ish." Lucifer threatens and Cas just nods, Balthazar just smiles with a smirk.

"Jealous are we Lucifer?"

"One more comment and I imprison you in Hell."

"Lucifer you'll do nothing of the sort." Michael barks as he comes up from the panic room, and lingers in the kitchen getting a glass of water.

"Fine I'll just rip your wings out."

"You won't do that either."

"Well, what can I do Michael?"

"You can tell him not to."

"Your no fun Michael." Lucifer pouts from the couch in the living room.

"Stop pouting, I can feel it from here."

"Can not."

"Can too."

"You guys are so childish." Sam interjects suddenly.

"Shut up Sam." Both brothers shout at him.

"Don't yell at my brother." Dean says to them in defense of his brother.

"Whatcha gonna do about it Winchester?" Lucifer taunts.

"Don't tempt me Lucifer cause I will banish your ass back to Heaven or Hell or... wherever you get forced back to."

"Can't, you would banish Steff too." Lucifer taunts with a singsong voice.

"Dammit, well I'll figure something out."

"Hey where's Gabe at?" Sam asks curious as to where he is considering ever other angel they hang out with is usually here.

"Right here Sammy, did you miss me?" Gabriel says from the ground in his cat form.

"Can I pet you?"

"Course Sammy you never have to ask." Gabriel says as he jumps onto Sam's lap. The angels and Dean just give Sam a weird look.

"I like cats Dean, and he happens to be a particularly soft cat. Plus he usually comes when I call." Sam says as he strokes Gabriel gently.

"Wait you call him?" Dean asks trying to remember ever seeing him lately.

"Sometimes." Sam admits quietly, "Research is boring by yourself alright. Gabe just shows up and helps out, it's nice to not have to be alone all the time."

"Dean leave Sam alone. Angels get out of my house except Gabriel, Lucifer, and Steff, she stays." Bobby orders and all of them leave, but Gabe and Lucifer. Lucifer goes down to the panic room and Gabe chills with Sam whose looking for a case. Dean goes upstairs to check on Steff only to find her gone.

"No, No, No, No, NO!" Dean says in frustration as he hits a wall.

"What?" Sam asks having heard his brother.

"She's gone."

"What!" Lucifer shouts as he races up the stairs. Much to his disdain he finds Steff gone again, he tries to use their bond, but it's not working. "Gabriel would we need to renew the bond after this?"

"Maybe… yeah now that I think about it, probably because her soul just reset now that she got it all back…" Gabriel answers from Sam's lap.

"So basically no one will be able to find her." Sam says while he moves Gabriel off his lap much to Gabriel's disdain.

"We'll just have to wait." Lucifer says as he groans loudly.

"Hey if there's one thing we know about Steff it's the fact that she always comes back." Gabriel says as he turns back into a person.

"I hate when she does this." Lucifer says with a sigh, "I'm going to Hell for awhile, call me if she shows up please." The boys and Bobby just nod their heads in yes and Lucifer disappears.

"Sam care to come with me?" Gabriel offers with a smile, "I'll show you some crazy stuff."

"Sure we're not busy." Sam says and walks over to Gabriel. Gabriel grabs his hand then they disappear. Dean and Bobby just stare in over what just happened.

"Did Sam just…"

"Yeah I think he did Bobby."

"Should we be worried?"

"I don't think so… Hey you think they're… you know…. together?" Dean asks having never thought Sam was gay, but hey he doesn't judge.

"It's plausible given the fact that him and that angel are a little too close." Bobby says to Dean, "Whatever makes the boy happy."

"If he hurts Sammy I will kill him." Dean vows to him.

"Agreed." Bobby says in agreement, "Now will you get out of my house… I got stuff to do without the interruption of Winchesters."

"Bobby you want some help cause I'm down two hunters." Dean offers not really wanting to go on the road by himself.

"No Dean, now go." Bobby orders, he had Rufus coming over later and they were going to go work a case together. Bobby had promised Steff and her brothers that he would stop hunting, but he loved the rush it gave him… plus it got boring in that house just answering phones or researching.

"Fine I'm leaving, sheesh." Dean says as he leaves the house.

"Bye Dean." Bobby says as he walks out with Dean to the Impala.

"Bye Bobby." Dean says as he waves from the Impala as he drives off.


	36. Winchesters are very bad at expressing their emotions

Dean drives from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to a place he used to take Sam when he was younger. It was a small park near a lake about two states over. The park was a simple one; it had two swing sets, a slide, and a rusty merry go round. Dean parks the Impala in a corner of the parking lot, glad that the park was empty except for him. He gets out of the car and walks over to the swing set and starts to swing on it.

Flashback

"Dean can you give me a push?" a young Sam about nine asks a thirteen-year-old Dean.

"Sam can't you do it by yourself." Dean says to him and Sammy just pouts a little.

"Please Dean I want to go high, all I need is a little push." Sam pleads with him as he gives Dean the sad puppy dog eyes that Sam knows he can't resist.

"Fine… but only a little one." Dean relents and can't help, but smile at the big smile on Sam's face.

"Thanks Dean." Sam says as Dean walks behind him and gives him a big push. Sam swings high and is laughing the entire time as he pumps his legs to keep going. Dean just smiles at how carefree his little brother is. For a moment just that single, brief moment Dean forgets about the monsters, the evil thing that killed their mother, and the burning down of his childhood home. For that tiny moment in time he and Sam were just two kids having a good time at the park.

End Flashback

Dean smiles at the memory of him and Sam, but then another one floats to the surface. It's the one where Sam had taken an eight-year-old Steff to the same park without Dean knowing. He had been out on a supply run, but when he got back to the motel they weren't there, instantly sending Dean into panic mode.

Another Flashback

"SAM! STEFF!" Dean shouts as he rushes back out of the motel room and searches the surrounding area. When he doesn't find them he gets in the Impala, and he drives around town checking the diner where they had gotten dinner last night. They aren't there and in a last ditch effort he goes to a nearby park just as the sun begins to set. When he gets there he hears the familiar shrill tone of Steff's laughter, and sees a strange man next to her that's not Sam. He runs over to the swing set to find Steff talking to a grown man about the merits of coating your blade in holy water when hunting.

"It's just a well known fact!" Steff says passionately as she gets off of the swing, and walks over to the man.

"Steff it seems like a lot of extra work and what happens when it dries?" The man asks as a little boy runs up to them.

"You do it again… Hey Ryan let's go play on the slide." Steff says quickly as she grabs the little brown haired, blue-eyed boy her age and they run off together. She didn't want to be around her angrily approaching eldest brother.

"Be careful you two!" The man shouts after them with a small laugh, glad to see his boy having some fun for the first time in a long time.

"Who are you?" Dean says threateningly to the man.

"Oh you must be Dean, Steff's eldest brother… Names Tom and that's my boy Ryan." Tom says cheerily to Dean as he shakes his hand heartily.

"Where's Sam?" Dean asks him.

"Sam… is… there he is." Tom says as Sam makes his way over.

"Dean?" Sam says quietly as he wanders over to them, "Tom where is Steff?"

"She went off with Ryan they're over… there." Tom says as he locates his little boy and their little sister. All three of them look over there to see Steff and Ryan playing on the slide. Steff is standing on the top, but she slips on something and falls off from the top luckily Ryan had seen her slip then caught her before she fell to the ground.

"I gotcha Steff." Ryan says as he puts her down. Ryan was taller then Steff and his father was training him, so he had enough muscle mass to catch tiny little Steff.

"Thanks Ryan." Steff says gratefully with a blush as she gets out of his arms. The adults rush over to find Steff and Ryan laughing about something.

"Steff are you okay?" Dean asks worriedly as he picks her up, and inspects her for injuries.

"Dean I'm fine… Can you put me down already?" Steff says impatiently as she squirms out of his grip and walks back over to Ryan.

"Thanks, come on let's go swing." Steff suggests as she leads Ryan away from the adults.

"Okay." Ryan answers as he grabs her hand and they rush off together. Dean just watches in anger as she escapes him yet again.

"Sam, go get Steff we are leaving." Dean orders Sam.

"Dean…" Sam starts, but is cut off by Dean.

"Sam go get Steff now!" Dean says through gritted teeth and a glare as Sam walks over to the kids. When Sam gets there, they're having so much fun he doesn't have the heart to tell Steff. So he just watches the two kids swing high on the swing set. Steff with her own high-pitched laughter, with Ryan's soon following quickly; eventually Steff's little legs get tired. However she still wanted to swing higher.

"Sammy can you push me a little?" Steff asks with the puppy dog eyes that Sam taught her once so she could get Dean to buy her ice cream once.

"Steff that won't work on me, plus Dean wanted me to come get you." Sam argues, but his resistance begins to waver when she tears up a little. "Fine." Sam relents and gives her a push so she can get started again. She uses her legs to get higher and higher, but when she's at the highest part the swing's rusty chains snap. Steff goes flying into the air landing face first into the dirt. Sam and Ryan just watch in shock. She tries not to cry, but the tears start to flow down her face. Steff cradles her arm against her chest as she walks over to Dean slowly.

"Dean." Steff sniffles when she gets there. Dean having seen the entire exchange picks her up gently. "I think it's broke." Steff whimpers out.

"Let me see." Dean says gently and Steff extends her arm for examination, and it does indeed feel broken.

"Steff are you alright?" Tom asks as he comes over to them with Ryan and Sam.

"I'll be okay… can we leave now?" Steff says as she dries her tear with her good arm.

"Sure." Dean says.

"It was nice to meet you guys. Bye Ryan, bye Tom." Steff says as the brothers take her back to the Impala. Once in the car they drive her to the ER. They get X-rays and the arm is broken so they cast it, and Dean pays the bill with one of their fake credit card accounts. Once back in the Impala they go get the pain medicine, and basically force it down Steff's throat back at the motel.

"You need to take this it will take the pain away." Sam says to her as he gives her the pill.

"No it's gonna make me all loopy."

"Steff what's it matter we're just your brothers?"

"I don't like feeling like that." Steff argues as she pouts.

"Fine if you wanna be in pain then be in pain." Sam says giving up on her. Steff just smiles at having won this battle, however when she goes to take a shower she knocks it on the doorframe.

"God dammit!" Steff grits out in pain. Dean and Sam just chuckle quietly.

"Steff where did you learn to speak like that?" Dean asks, slightly appalled that his eight-year-old sister was swearing.

"I live with you, you dolt." Steff says smartly as she grabs the medicine from Sam's hands and takes the pill.

End Flashback

Dean chuckles at the memory remembering how after Steff had taken the pill she fell asleep quickly. Though when she woke up the next morning, and took another one she said some of the funniest things.

Sometime later

Dean doesn't exactly know how long he sits on that swing set after the sun goes down. He just enjoys the quiet and peace of the park, as he looks to the newly risen stars in silent wondering. Dean wonders what would life be like if his mother never died, his father never trained them to hunt, or if they never met Steff.

"You would have been a mechanic in some garage in Lawrence, Kansas. You would have settled down with some nice lady and had a couple of kids…. A nice apple pie life, completely oblivious to the supernatural around you… though eventually I would have probably came into your life just to be sure you were still safe... maybe check up on you and Sam a few times a year just to be sure." Steff says smugly to him as she appears on the swing next to him.

"Oh… so you know the future now."

"Sometimes, but only if I concentrate." Steff teases him with a smile as she flexes her wings out they're indigo with white flecks here and there.

"So…" Dean starts but isn't really sure where he's going just trails off.

"Hmm?"

"Lucifer is looking for you… He's in Hell." Dean says quietly as he stares up at the stars.

"I know, but I figured he could wait awhile… I needed to make sure Michael was going to be okay." Steff says as she shows him the renewed bond bracelet.

"Nice."

"Where's Sam at… I figured he'd be with you." Steff says using her powers to look for him, but finding nothing only feeling Gabriel's presence near him.

"Gabriel and him went off somewhere." Dean answers as he gets up from the swing, and begins to walk away.

"Oh, are they a 'thing' now?" Steff asks trying to imagine Gabriel and Sam. Though when she thought about Gabriel's fun loving attitude would probably lighten him up a little bit.

"I think so."

"Hmmm…. You know that explains why Gabriel always showed up when he calls." Steff says to Dean as she and him go to the Impala.

"Or why he always smiles like an idiot when Gabriel shows up." Dean comments as they both get in the Impala. The engine starts and he drives to the nearest motel. Once the room is booked they both settle in and begin to clean guns. About halfway through their arsenal Dean looks up at Steff. After doing some deep thinking and for some reason it takes him back to what Zakiel told him a long time ago.

"Why do you always run away?" Dean asks quietly and Steff stops mid stroke, she was cleaning a shotgun. Steff doesn't say anything for a few minutes and Dean worries that she might fly off again, but she doesn't. She just sits there frozen with a hand on the barrel.

"Because…" Steff begins, but can't answer his question. She just can't bring herself to tell Dean the truth… simply because she can't admit it to herself. After what feels like a few millennia Steff finally manages to gather her thoughts, but is having trouble verbalizing.

"It's not running Dean, its called tactical fleeing. There is a very subtle difference." Steff points out to him.

"Really." Dean says sarcastically to her from the kitchen table.

"Yeah… see running implies that I won't come back, but tactical fleeing says that I just need to gather my thoughts, and make a plan before I go in for the kill." Steff explains to him as she snaps her fingers cleaning the rest of the guns with a smile. Then she turns into a cat and settles on the bed closest to the door.

"Your such a …" Dean starts, but is cut off by the sudden appearance of Sam and Gabriel on the other bed.

"Sammy…" Gabriel moans as he leans in and gives Sam a kiss.

"Gabe…" Sam moans through the kiss.

"Do you have to do that on my bed?" Dean asks as he puts the weapons back in their places, and then places the weapon duffles on the ground.

"Sammy!" Steff says happily as she jumps onto the bed in between him and Gabriel, "Back off angel boy." Steff meows threateningly.

"Well someone is a protective p…" Gabriel starts, but is cut off when Steff tackles him as a lioness.

"Yes I am and if you hurt him, even if it's just a single hair on his head. I will…" Steff says, and whispers the rest of her threat into his ear so Sam and Dean can't hear.

"Alright stop threatening my angel Steff." Sam says as he helps a very shaken Gabriel up.

"Sorry Sam I just had to make sure he knew, what would happen if he broke your heart." Steff says to him with a smile as she gets off Gabriel, and walks over to Dean back in house cat form. Dean picks her up, and starts to pet her on his lap.

"Steff turn white for me please." Dean asks with a smile.

"Why?" Steff asks in confusion while turning completely white.

"So you come to me with a favor." Dean starts in a godfather sounding voice.

"Dean stop." Steff says as she turns dark red.

"God that is so awesome." Dean comments as he looks at Steff in amazement.

"Watch this." Steff says as she makes her fur rotate colors like a chameleon. Dean, Sam, and Gabriel just watch in wonder at the small color-changing cat.

"Steff?" Sam says as he takes Steff out of Dean's lap. "You're grounded."

"Sam you can't ground me. I'm a grown woman." Steff says with a confident laugh.

"Actually… I'm still older and you have to listen to me." Sam says as he clips a small cuff around her front left foreleg.

"What is this?" Steff says as she tries to disappear, but can't.

"Like I said you're grounded."

"Sam take this off."

"No, in fact if you wanna go somewhere you have to take an angel or someone else with you." Sam tells her and the cuff glows green with the new orders.

"Sam this is not funny. Take this off now!" Steff says as the thought of being tied to angels… or anyone else annoys the hell out of her.

"Steff no, you lied to me and since Dean is all talk I figured I'd take action myself. So get used to having someone with you for a while." Sam says with finality and Steff can see he's serious. So in frustration she jumps out of his grip, and walks out the front door only to make it as far as the edge of the parking lot.

"Goodbye freedom, it was nice for a few hours." Steff mutters as she sits on the edge of the parking lot pouting watching as storm clouds begin to form around her.

Motel room

"Sam did you actually ground her?" Dean asks in surprise having never seen Sam so firm like that.

"Yeah Dean I did, even if she is an adult she needs to learn that she can't lie to us anymore." Sam answers while Gabriel wraps his arms around Sam's midsection.

"Proud of you Sammy." Gabriel says to him as he kisses him.

"Alright you two, are you gonna keep doing that or am I gonna have to angel proof the motel." Dean says as he glares from the couch secretly wishing he had a certain celestial being to kiss.

"Fine…but," Loud thunderclap, "She can pout all she wants, I am not removing it." Sam says firmly to them.

"Your sister is so im…."

"Gabriel finish that sentence and I kill you." Steff threatens angrily as she comes through the door, soaking wet. She walks over to Sam and Gabriel then shakes her wings out letting all the water soak them.

"Hey!" They both shout in anger.

"Oh I'm not sorry. Remove the cuff and I might think about being sorry." Steff says as she sits on the couch using her power to dry off.

"No."

"Fine then I'm going." Steff says as she grabs Dean and takes off.

"She's feisty for having just got her soul back." Gabriel remarks, "But at least we're alone now."

"Come here you." Sam says playfully as he grabs Gabriel and starts making out on a bed.

Ten minutes later

"Gross, come on Sam!" Dean says as he appears back into the room by himself.

"Dean where is Steff?" Sam asks wondering how she got out of the cuff so soon.

"Her and Lucifer renewed their bond and she went to Hell with him. Sam, she is beyond pissed at you." Dean comments as he sits on the couch.

"I know, but maybe next time she won't run from us when we try to help her… god she is more hardheaded then you and Dad put together." Sam says to Dean.

"Don't I know it." Dean says as he settles on the other bed.

"So Sam are we…?" Gabriel says while wiggling his eyebrows seductively.

"No, not with him here… that's just weird Gabe!"

"Dude not enough brain bleach in the world." Dean says, but soon he goes quiet his thoughts wander back to another particular guardian angel. Gabriel being Gabriel knew Dean never just suddenly went quiet and in between the kisses he was giving Sam. He wanders into Dean's thoughts only to find his brother Cas in them and partially clothed…. Well all right that's a lie Dean was really thinking about what it would feel like to fuck an angel into the motel mattress he was currently sitting on. And Gabriel can't help, but laugh… who would have ever thought the manly, womanizer Dean Winchester would ever have a crush on his sister's guardian angel. Sam who is doing his best to kiss a laughing Gabriel wonders what could possibly be so funny right now.

"Sammy can you stop for a second?" Gabriel asks as he pulls away from him and laughs whole-heartedly.

"Gabe what's so funny?" Sam asks seeing nothing funny going on.

"Your brother's thoughts Sam." Gabriel says as he catches his breath and Sam turns to see Dean blushing a little at the mention.

"Gabriel stay out of my head!" Dean mutters angrily as he tries to get the image out of his brain, but it's too late Gabriel has already seen it and it throws him into a state of shock.

"Dean… that's just kinky." Gabriel says to him with a large grin. Sam who has just been sitting there quietly is really confused, but judging by the dark blush Dean has figured it out.

"It's Cas again, ain't it?" Sam says and Dean gets up then leaves the motel room in an embarrassed huff, a few minutes later Sam hears the Impala rumble off.

"Sam how did you guess?"

"When you've lived with someone for thirty some years you know when they like someone… Plus when him and Steff like someone they both blush or storm out in anger at the mention…. Also he moans Castiel's name in his sleep sometimes." Sam comments as he gets up off the bed and begins to stretch.

"Moosey come back I wanna snuggle." Gabriel whines to him as he pats the spot next to him on the bed. Sam just shakes his head.

"Gabriel I need to actually do some work, and that's near impossible with you here. So can you go?" Sam asks as he sits at the kitchen table with his laptop. Gabriel just huffs and disappears, then reappears with no clothing but his boxers on while sucking a sucker suggestively.

"Sammy play with me." Gabriel whines and for half a second Sam is tempted, but decides against it figuring Dean will come back soon anyways. Gabriel just looking a little hurt tries one more thing. He turns into a cat and rubs himself against Sam's legs.

"Fine you can stay, but I really do need to get some work done." Sam says with a sigh as he picks up the needy small brown cat. Then puts him on his lap stroking him occasionally with Gabriel purring the entire time.

An hour later

Dean finds himself drinking alone in the bar across the street from the motel. His thoughts ever so slowly wandering to that magnificent creature named Cas. Thinking about how smart and kind that angel was… always saving people like him, Sam, and Steff… "God I sound like a girl." Dean mutters to himself as he takes another drink of his beer. He stays there drinking his beer for a little while longer before an attractive blonde woman approaches him with a seductive smile.

"Hey there sexy." She says with a flirty smile.

"Baby you are barking up the wrong tree." Dean says flatly not really wanting to deal with this at the moment.

"Handsome I can be any kind of tree you want." She says seductively as she touches his upper thigh.

"Hey I said no thanks." Dean says as he pulls her hand off of him. The woman looking very put out just walks away in a huff.

"Dean you okay?" Steff asks appearing on the bar stool next to him, alone.

"Steff how did you manage to get that cuff off so fast?" Dean asks glad to have changed the subject.

"Oh that… that was nothing all I did was piss Luci off, and used it to block the ice he sent at me then I smashed it with a rock… piece a cake really." Steff says with a smile as she orders a beer.

"I told Sam it was impossible to ground you for more than two hours." Dean say with a laugh as he and Steff take drinks of their beers.

"So back to the topic at hand… a little birdie told me you like an angel." Steff says trying to push Dean to talk about it.

"Really… Was it Sam's little birdie?" Dean asks as he rests his forearms and head on the bar.

"Actually no…. it really was a bird." Steff says as she wraps a wing around him in comfort.

"You can talk to animals too?" Dean asks having never known that about Steff, fiddling with one of her black feathers.

"All angels can, it comes with the wings." Steff says with a smile as she flaps her wings.

"Oh… well then yeah you have a very well informed bird." Dean says not going any farther. Steff realizes if she wants more info she is going to have to push for it.

"Dean, you know I don't judge so there is no reason to be ashamed…. Hell I married the Devil for god's sake."

"Steff is it really your business?"

"Probably not, but I'm gonna make it mine."

"I hate angels."

"Well we don't hate you." Steff say with a smile as she leans her head on his shoulder affectionately, "In fact I happen to know for a fact that a certain trench coat wearing angel swings both ways."

"Really?" Dean says with his head still on his arms.

"Yeah, and I also happen to know that of all my brothers he likes you the best… although I can't understand why." Steff says jokingly as she picks up her head.

"How many brothers do you have?"

"Only you two and Wes."

"Oh well Sam's taken and Wes is dead, so I guess…"

"Dean you really are slow sometimes… come on we all see the silent eye sex you two have."

"That obvious?"

"Yeah Dean it may be due to the fact that you blush a little when he shows up…. Plus you moan his name in your sleep sometimes." Steff says with a sly smile as she transports both of them from the dingy old bar to a meadow in the middle of the Great Smoky Mountains.

"You could warn a guy next time!" Dean says to her in frustration.

"Oh relax…. You're fine." Steff says as she uses her powers to put up a barrier so other angels particularly Gabriel, can't come snooping.

"Steff?"

"Hmm."

"I…. Well… How do I say this?" Dean says as he pauses trying to think of a good way to put this so she doesn't tease him for the rest of his life.

"Dean you wanna go ride the steeds?" Steff asks changing the subject since he is having such a hard time voicing his feelings.

"They're in Hell."

"So?"

"Humans can't go to Hell and return."

"Dean remember that one time when I put you in a pit?"

"Oh yeah… sure I'm game." Dean says and Steff puts a hand to his shoulder then flies to where the steeds are at right now. Glad to have a distraction, he never was able to verbalize his feeling very well.

In Hell

"So this is what Hell looks like." Dean says in amazement. The place they were at was mostly like the mountains they had just been in.

"Dean Hell has different areas this is where the Nightmaric Steeds and wild Hellhounds mostly live. Now where the demons torture souls that's your classic Hell." Steff says as she shivers at the memory of her first few months in Hell all the torture, and some of the pain coming back in flashes. Dean notices her demeanor change from her normal cheery, sarcastic self to being quiet… and he could have sworn he saw her flinch.

"Hey?" Dean says in an attempt to pull her back from wherever she is.

"Sorry what?" Steff says as she suppresses the sound of her own screams in her mind.

"I don't know you just spaced out, you okay?"

"Yeah I'm good." Steff lies. Though after so many years of telling herself she is fine she wishes it were true, but moments like these only remind her of how truly broken she really is.

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Dean, seriously I'm fine… now let's go find Sky and Duke." Steff says trying to locate them with her powers. When Steff finally locates them she notices the fear surrounding their minds.

"Dean hold onto my hand." Steff orders and offers a hand, which Dean takes quickly not even questioning it. Steff transports them to a canyon where the four steeds are cornered, and trying to fight off a pack of wild Hellhounds.

"Dean stay here." Steff orders and watches as Dean nods staying in the spot Steff puts him on a rock, tall enough so that the hounds couldn't reach him if they found him.

"Hellhound scum!" Sky shouts as he uses his rear hoofs to kick a hound in the head cracking its skull for the kill.

"Sky you guys alright?" Steff asks as she draws her blade, and dispatches another hound by slitting its throat as it was attacking Starlight.

"Steff thank Lucifer you're here. We were just galloping through the canyon when they attacked. Sky tried to hold them off, but one of them bit Midnight." Starlight explains frantically to Steff and gestures to where Midnight is kicking with her good foreleg at a hound attacking Duke.

"Star stay here, I'll get them." Steff says as she tackles the hound threatening Duke and Midnight. Killing it with a quick stab to the heart with her angel blade. The other hounds having noticed the appearance of an angel leave the steeds, and begin to form a tight circle around Steff snapping and snarling at her.

"Bring it on bitches." Steff taunts as she turns around in quick circles allowing her natural instincts to kick in, focused on nothing other then saving the people dear to her. About her fourth turn she feels one jump at her from the back attempting to get her wings. Steff however is to fast, taking the hound down with a single blow to the throat. Before she can celebrate her victory the other five jump at her teeth bared and claws extended. The steeds and Dean just watch in anticipation, with the flurry of limbs and wings accompanied with a cacophony of snarls, shouts, and whimpers. After what feels like eternity Steff finally emerges covered in blood, and her shirt is shredded in various spots.

"Steff are you okay?" Dean asks from atop the rock.

"Dean can you climb down yourself, I'm way to tired to come get you?" Steff asks as exhaustion sets in, but not before she uses most of her remaining power to heal the steeds. After that Steff is totally exhausted, however Dean manages to get down from the rock on his own. He then walks over to where Steff is leaning heavily against the canyon wall for support.

"For being some all powerful angel you sure look tired." Dean comments as he helps her up to her feet.

"Bite me." Steff replies woozily as her head begins to spin, and the world along with it.

"Dean put her on my back." Sky orders and Dean helps Steff walk over to the steed. Then he all but throws her up on top of him; all the while Star looking at the angel with worry.

"Sky will she be alright?" Starlight asks worriedly as they begin to leave the canyon.

"She will be fine Star she is just tired. Duke can you give Dean a ride?" Sky tells Star and Duke shakes his head in yes. Dean approaches the large white stallion.

"Duke long time no see… man did you grow?" Dean says cheerily as he mounts the stallion's back easily.

"Dean I did, but only like a hand or two. Maybe you got shorter, Steff told me humans shrink sometimes when they get older." Duke responds with a whinny, and Dean just chuckles as the group sets out for Lucifer's house. About half way there Steff is finally coherent enough to form a sentence.

"Sky where is Dean?" Steff asks, as she can't see him with her head lying on Sky's neck.

"Duke has him Steff. Why don't you just go to sleep we shall be at the house in another hour or two?" Sky says to her and Steff takes his suggestion then closes her eyes falling asleep on the large black stallion.

"Just like old times." Starlight reminisces as she trots up to her mate Sky.

"Yes, this reminds me of the time she ran away from Lucifer a few months after we met when he was taking a shower…. She just slipped out the back door and took off towards the stables. Though at the time it was just Starlight and I. When she got there she un-tethered me, and we took off galloping deep into these meadows…. See back in the day we used to be quite the troublesome pair. Hiding from Lucifer, killing demons, or…." Sky says as he pauses remembering some of the rougher days of their lives, but he continues on after a minute, "Anyways we ran deep into the mountains and hid. You should have seen Lucifer when he found us finally. Took him two days he was absolutely livid…. After that incident Lucifer chained Steff so she had stay in the house. Then he chained me too, however I could go to the end of the pasture… though Steff found the keys, got us both out, and then we disappeared again… Only this time it was…" Sky explain, but doesn't finish. Remembering how that had been the anniversary of Steff's capture, and the horrors she must have endured when Lucifer finally found them again. He can still hear her begging the angel to stop hurting her.

"It was what Sky Ranger?" Dean asks curiously from Dukes back as they trot up next to him.

"The anniversary of her capture Dean…. We were gone for about a day, and a half in Earth time… roughly two weeks in Hell." Sky informs him with a sad look in his eyes, "After Lucifer got her back he beat her for weeks in Earth time, I could hear her screams even from the edge of my pasture for months… They were utterly terrifying… at first I didn't even think it was Steff, until she called my name… she screamed for me to help her… she must have screamed for days before her voice finally gave out. I tried to break out to save her… to do something… but Lucifer had spelled the area so I couldn't leave all I could do was listen… listen to the heart-wrenching screams of my rider… my friend." Sky says as a single tear runs down his nose falling off his muzzle as he looks back at his slumbering rider. Dean listens to the story, and looks over to Steff who is smiling in her sleep. He can't help but smile at her when she looks so peaceful, knowing that when she wakes up her face will be set into it's usual soft glare. Dean never asked what Lucifer did to her because he was afraid of the answer. He was content to let her bury that deep within her self. Dean knows he will never understand why his sister loves her torturer so much…. But he is content to let her love Lucifer if that makes her happy. After Sky's story it takes them another ten minutes to arrive at the house. The house itself was huge and off in the distance, about a half-mile Dean could make out a building that must be the stables. The house looked like a ranch style house with an upstairs, and when they went around back, they found Lucifer sitting on a swing set swinging gently. When they approach Lucifer doesn't notice them until Sky snorts. He was in the middle of reading a book.

"Lucifer can you get Steff, she is sleeping." Sky says to him and Lucifer jumps a little, having not even felt that Steff was here or when he looked around, Dean either.

"Sure Sky… What the hell happened now?" Lucifer asks as he notices her ripped clothing and the blood.

"The steeds were being attacked by Hellhounds, and Steff took them all on at once." Dean explains to him as he dismounts from Duke, then walks over to Lucifer who has Steff in his arms, she has curled into him.

"Oh…. For the love of father why does she always have to get hurt? …. I wish she would use those damn powers of hers." Lucifer says as he curses quietly.

"We'll be in the stables Lucifer." Starlight tells her rider.

"Alright Star, see you guys later…. Oh Midnight, Duke I think Seth and Violet were coming to get you guys later. They said something about racing angelic steeds." Lucifer tells the younger steeds who just bob their heads in response, and canter off to the stables with their parents behind them. Lucifer turns as he takes Steff inside, and then gestures with one of his wings for Dean to follow.

"Nice house Lucifer." Dean comments quietly as he notices how beautiful the inside of the house is. It looks lived in, and it retains a certain dark beauty about it kind of like Lucifer himself.

"Thanks Dean, but the color scheme was Steff not me…. She insisted that if I was going to hold her captive I should at least allow her to paint the walls. The house used to be pure white, with pure white furniture. However Steff said it reminded her too much of a research facility, she all but forced me at angel blade point to get her paint… took her about four days in Earth time about a month, and a half in Hell. When we had Violet and Seth we repainted the kid's room. We asked them what they liked and Seth said the forest of fire except he wanted it in blue, so Steff painted it for him. Violet however said she wanted a stormy nighttime sky so Steff painted it for her, but added a rainbow for her name sake." Lucifer explains to Dean as they pass the rooms. Dean can't help, but notice that the rooms fit both of the young angels perfectly.

"Wait, her name sake?" Dean questions as he admires Violet's wall. It was a mix of dark grays and blacks with a brilliant seven-colored rainbow breaking through the darkness.

"Steff saw a keshet or rainbow in English during Violet's birth, and since the heart of the rainbow is violet she thought the name fit." Lucifer explains to him with a smile remembering the day Steff gave birth to their children.

"Oh… who knew Steff had a deeper meaning." Dean says jokingly as Lucifer puts her in their room, laying her gently on the bed pulling the blanket over her.

"Yeah who knew?" Lucifer says with a smirk as he shuts the bedroom door, and then him and Dean walk downstairs to the living room. Dean settles on a black leather couch looking out the large window in the room. Lucifer settles on a love seat to the left of Dean.

"So…"

"Yup…" Lucifer responds awkwardly, not really knowing what to say to Dean.

"Should I just go?" Dean asks forgetting he is in Hell.

"Dean your in Hell, where could you possibly go? Without an angel a demon would take you to the pits." Lucifer points out to him as he watches the human fidgets nervously.

"Lucifer can I ask you a question?" Dean asks nervously as he looks to Lucifer.

"Course Dean, what's up?" Lucifer says pleasantly as he looks to the human with a smile.

"What did you do to Steff when she was here for those two years?" Dean asks and watches as the pleasant smile drains from Lucifer's face.

"I… well… Dean I don't think you want to know. It will only make you hate me a little more than I already hate myself… just know that if I could take it back or if there had been another way. I would have taken it in a heartbeat…" Lucifer tells his brother in law regretfully. He watches as Dean just goes quiet and Lucifer could have peeked into his mind to see what he was thinking… but Lucifer didn't need to. He could tell that Dean was imagining the things he had done to his sister, the sound of her screaming, calling out for him and Sam's help… Hell Lucifer himself could still hear the sound of it ringing in his ears sometimes, and the terror on her face as he cut into her body.

"She has always had this amazing ability to forgive everyone… except our father. But you Lucifer she not only forgave you, she married you too." Dean says with amazement, knowing if he had gone through that he would have tried to kill the bastard… then again his sister was always a surprising person.

"Dean and I praise my father everyday for that." Lucifer says and Dean just nods in understanding.

"I see… Can you just send me back?" Dean asks trying to change the subject.

"Back where? Cause I just walked in on Sam and Gabe, I don't think you want to see that." Lucifer says with a small laugh, remembering how his little brother had shouted at him to get out.

"Yeah you're probably right." Dean grimaces and smiles a little.  
"I could call Cas he might be able to take you somewhere." Lucifer offers and watches as Dean's eyes light up a little.

"Uhh… no thanks it's fine… why not just transport me to Bobby's?" Dean says trying to subdue the blush coming across his face.

"I knew it." Lucifer says with a triumphant smirk, "Steff told me a long time ago, but I never thought…"

"She told you that!"

"No, I actually read her mind… I do that a lot it, keeps me up to date with her busy life. Cas does it too, though not that it makes it any better."

"Oh…"

"Dean it's okay I won't judge… Plus as long as Cas is happy I'm cool." Lucifer assures him, "Although if you hurt him I will squash you like a bug."

"I understand."

"Why don't you go call him?" Lucifer suggests with a sly smile and a wink. Dean just gives a quick nod, and walks out the front door. From inside Lucifer can hear Dean call Cas and ask him if he wants to go out. Though not in those words, but rather in Dean's own awkward way. He sees that Cas agrees with an eager smile and the two disappear. Lucifer can't help, but smile hoping those two will work out. He knows Cas deserves it… hell all the Winchesters deserved somebody, especially his.

A few hours later

Lucifer is outside on the front porch swing going through a plan that Samael proposed for keeping the demons in line. When Steff wanders downstairs in her jeans and just a purple camisole.

"I didn't know you wore glasses." Steff says as she walks outside tying her hair back in a ponytail with a dark blue ribbon.

"Hmmm…." Lucifer says, as he keeps reading.

"The glasses... there sexy Luci... Like a sexy bank accountant." Steff says seductively as she comes over then settles on his lap taking his papers and putting them to the side. "I'd let you take care of my 4O1K anytime."

"I was reading that Steff." Lucifer says to Steff as she begins to kiss up his neck.

"And now you're not." Steff says as she kisses her way to his mouth.

"Someone's affectionate today." Lucifer comments in between kisses.

"Yeah." Steff says as she rests her head in the crook of Lucifer's neck.

"Sweetheart?"

"Hmm."

"I…." Lucifer starts, but is cut off when Steff is suddenly pulled off his lap and disappears.

"Luci!" Steff shouts as she is thrown back and knocked unconscious.


	37. What If?

A Few hours later

When Steff awakes she is lying next to an angel in a large blue bed with his arms wrapped around her.

"Lucifer thank god I thought…." Steff stops suddenly when she realizes that it isn't Lucifer.

"Bambi what are you talking about?" Michael mumbles groggily as he turns to her in confusion.

"AHHH!" Steff shouts as she jumps out of the bed and across the room.

"Bambi what's wrong?" Michael asks trying to figure out what's wrong with his mate.

"Stop calling me that, I'm not a deer." Steff shouts as she runs out of the room in confusion. She begins running through the house trying to find a way out. Steff finally does, but as she is about to run out the door she catches her reflection in a mirror. She notices her wings are no longer black, but rather pure white with bright blue tipped feathers, plus it's only two instead of four. "What?" Steff mutters in confusion as she staggers back until she hits the wall, and slides down it staring at her wings in shock.

"Steff, Bambi are you alright; was it another dream?" Michael asks her once he finds her again only to find her back against the wall very confused and scared.

"Stay back!" Steff commands as she pulls her wings around her, trying to hide from Michael.

"Bambi it's alright. Your fine no one's gonna hurt you." Michael says reassuringly to his frightened mate.

"I'm not your Bambi…. Where's Lucifer?" Steff says from behind her wings confused and scared trying to comprehend what's going on. She notices that his wings stiffen at the mention of his brother's name.

"Steff, Lucifer is dead we killed him remember?" Michael says trying to jog his confused mate's mind.

"We killed him…" Steff says, as she looks up at Michael in pure horror.

"Yes my little fawn, in the Apocalypse where we killed most all of the demons and Lucifer…. Sam too because he tried to stop us." Michael says regretfully and Steff jumps up then disappears, needing to see it herself. Michael just follows her as she flies to Earth, and sees the desolation like some sort of disaster had happened or for lack of a better word… the Apocalypse. Though now when she remembers what Michael had just told her the Apocalypse must have happened. Feeling for Lucifer's grace it leads her to a set of graves one reads Morning Star, and the other Samuel Winchester: brother and hunter extraordinaire.

"Luci… my Sammy…. It can't be true…" Steff mutter as she falls to the ground in tears and defeat. Michael who is utterly baffled at his mates sudden reaction to this just flies down to her, and wraps his wings around her in comfort.

"Steff shhh…. Shhh…. It's all right, it's okay." Michael says trying to comfort her.

"Where's Dean?"

"Dean is…"

"No not Dean too."

"He and Bobby passed away last year in an explosion taking out the last of the remaining demons." Michael recalls and watches as Steff's eyes go wide in shock, and tear up in sorrow again.

"It can't…. no… I won't let them!" Steff shouts as she frantically begins to claw at the dirt marking Lucifer's grave, desperate to see him… she can save him… she must save them she thinks to herself.

"Steff, it's been seven years. There's nothing you can do." Michael says as she puts a hand to her shoulder, but she just pulls away from it. Now Michael has had enough of this act and is just a short fuse away from dragging her away.

"Michael I can do whatever the hell I want!" Steff says defiantly and Michael just snaps one of her wing arches. "Ah!" Steff cries out in shock and pain at his violent behavior, knowing that her Michael would never do that.

"Now you listen to me we are going home, you're going to calm down, and I'm going to heal you." Michael orders as he flies Steff back to their house in Heaven with Steff crying in pain. After he flies them back Steff moves away from him, but he follows her.

"Leave me alone." Steff mutters desperately as she attempts to move away from Michael wanting nothing from this violent rendition of him.

"No, come here now!" Michael growls at her as he corners Steff. He goes to touch her wing, but Steff flinches away from him. Michael who is tired of this slaps her hard across the face making her cheek bruise. She just gasps in pain, and shock at his lashing out. He heals her wings, but leaves the bruise. After he's done he pulls her into his arms gently. Steff, who is now just shaking at this abusive Michael, Lucifer's death, and her family's deaths unsure of what else to do.

"Michael please… I just want to go home." Steff says to him quietly.

"Fawn this is our home." Michael tells her and Steff just cries harder into his chest. "Stop crying." Michael orders her and Steff tries to stop crying not wanting to provoke this Michael. "That's my Bambi." Michael just smiles when she stops crying at his orders.

"There's my obedient, little fawn." Michael praises her and she just lies there afraid to move lest her hurt her again.

"I… I… Please let me go." Steff stutters out holding back her tears.

"No, after I saved you from Hell. You are mine." Michael says possessively as he holds her tighter.

"I don't love you." Steff says hollowly to him in a weak attempt to get him to let her go.

"You will learn to, all my mates do eventually..." Michael says and at this Steff's eyes go wide in terror.

"CAS!" Steff shouts desperately as she wrenches away from Michael's grip.

"Steff, who is Cas?"

"Balthazar!"

"Bambi who is that? Wait have you been seeing other angels behind my back?" Michael says to her in a dangerous tone, making Steff flinch away from him in case he tries to hit her.

"No, of course not Michael." Steff assures him, trying to calm him not wanting to get hit again.

"Good I wouldn't want to have to show you who you belong to again." Michael says as he pets Steff's wings softly, but with an air of possession. Steff just shivers not wanting to imagine what this deranged, and abusive Michael meant.

"Gabriel." Steff whispers quietly into the air in a last ditch effort.

"What was that Steff?"

"Nothing Michael… I just said I'm tired." Steff lies to him with a forced, weak smile.

"Okay, I love you." Michael says as he picks her up and takes her back to the bedroom. "Stay." He orders as she does her best to not crawl away from him.

"Okay Michael." Steff says as he puts her on the bed and covers her up.

"I'll be back in an hour." Michael says as he leaves the room. Steff waits a few minutes just to be sure he isn't coming back before she leaves the house. She begins looking for someone in this Heaven who isn't crazy. About a half an hour later she feels something tug at her grace telling her turning around. When she does face the feeling she sees Xaphan.

"Xaphan, thank god your still here. You need to help me." Steff says frantically as she rushes over to Xaphan.

"Steffanie, what's wrong?" Xaphan asks not seeing any danger near them, or really anywhere since the apocalypse had destroyed all of the demons in the world.

"You never call me Steffanie." Steff says quietly to herself, "Xaphan where is Lucifer?"

"Steffanie, he's dead. You killed him remember…. Him and Michael had the Apocalypse and Michael won, then we destroyed most all of the demons." Xaphan says thinking how strange it is for her not to remember, since she was the one who lured Lucifer to Michael.

"No, I stopped the Apocalypse."

"Steffanie you should go lay down, you look pale even for an angel of ice." Xaphan says as he tries to guide her back to her and Michael's house.

"No, I'm fine Xaphan… wait angel of ice?" Steff says in confusion at his statement and can indeed feel the powers of ice flowing through her grace. Making her feel frigid rather than blazing, and aggressive that comes from her fire that dwells deep within her soul. She also feels… submissive and Steff never feels submissive.

"Steffanie come on, don't be difficult." Xaphan says as he tries to coax her back to her proper house.

"Whose the Keshet?" Steff asks changing the subject quickly.

"The what?" Xaphan asks in confusion, having never heard this term before other than it's use in the Hebrew language.

"Keshet, the angel who was designated to stop Michael and Lucifer from tearing each other and Earth apart."

"Steffanie you are mistaken, there is no such thing as the Keshet." Xaphan tells her and at that Steff finally connects the pieces, realizing where she is. It's an alternate universe where the Keshet was never created, so she never stopped the Apocalypse… so Lucifer ended up being killed by Michael. When Steff finally realizes what's happening it all becomes too much for her and she faints into Xaphan's arms. Xaphan just in holds her in shock at her reaction to the information he gave her. In curiosity he searches her mind trying to figure out what she thought was going on. That's when Xaphan learns that this isn't the Steffanie of this world, but rather another who is mated to Lucifer and the Keshet. She has two children and her brothers never died, nor Bobby because she managed to avert the Apocalypse. So after sifting through those he sifts through her newer memories. Where he comes upon the ones from just a few hours ago of an abusive Michael. "Oh Steff, I will get you back to your world… I promise." Xaphan vows as he suddenly feels a strong desire to protect the young, abused angel he doesn't know why just that he must. So he decides it's best just to take her with him back to his house to help keep Michael away, and when he gets there he puts her his bed in the bedroom. There she sleeps and Xaphan sits next to her with his pale green wings curled protectively around the strange and confused angel.

Five hours later

When Steff awakes this time she realizes that she is sleeping on a different angel; slowly she sits up.

"I thought it was just a dream… a terrible nightmare." Steff says sadly as she notices its just Xaphan.

"Steff I'll get you out of here and away from him I promise." Xaphan says with conviction. "I went through your mind, sorry but I needed to figure out why you were talking crazy."

"It's fine, so you know that from where I come from I am the Keshet an archangel only second in power to God."

"Yes and I know you have to children Violet and Seth. Also that you managed to avoid the Apocalypse, and that I am one of Lucifer's closest friends." Xaphan says with a smile. Him and Lucifer had always been great friends until his fall where here Xaphan hadn't had the courage to go with him.

"Xaphan are any of the other angels from my other world here or alive?" Steff asks hoping that there is someone other than just him.

"There is one that I can think of, though he is not how he is in your world."

"Who?"

"Vernael, but here his is an angel of nature. He mostly tends to the gardens and is very reclusive especially after his sister Lilliael died in a werewolf attack." Xaphan tells her and watches as she just sighs.

"Damn if anyone could have been of help it would have been him… well I guess I will just have to figure this out on my own." Steff says with a frustrated sigh.

"Not alone, I will help you anyway I can." Xaphan offers her with a smile as he puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks, did you know you delivered Seth and Violet?" Steff asks him as she fluffs out her wings.

"Yes… Oh here you are an angel of ice, not one of weapons, fire, or weather."

"Like Rosalyn."

"Yes Michael's old mate the one who killed herself." Xaphan tells her.

"Why is he so…"

"Abusive."

"Yeah, in my world he is one of the wisest, most helpful, and caring angels I know. How can he be so different?" Steff asks as she moves closer to Xaphan as she leans onto his shoulder wings folded behind her.

"Here I am an angel of the sea. I created tidal waves, but in your world I created hellfire." Xaphan says to her as he leans his head on top of hers.

"I want my Lucifer, Xaphan." Steff mutters against him.

"I know Sweetheart… I know." Xaphan says soothingly as he runs his fingers through her wings. Steff just lays her head on his chest as she falls back to sleep on Xaphan.

In the Morning

When Michael came back later to find Steff gone he was furious. Outraged that his mate had run away from him, him the great general of Heaven, the angel who stopped evil from taking over Earth. Michael looks all over Heaven for his Steff, but finds nothing only other angels talking about how she had been frantically flying around Heaven. Eventually he makes his way to the angel of tidal waves and when he gets there, he feels Steff. Michael knocks on the door and waits for Xaphan to answer it, his anger rising with each passing minute. Xaphan finally makes it to the door a few minutes later, and finds Michael fuming on his front porch.

"Where is she?" Michael snarls out at him in anger.

"Where is who?"

"Don't play games, I know she is here. Now give her to me."

"Michael I don't think she wants to go with you." Xaphan tells his brother defiantly.

"How dare you! She is my mate and I shall do what I want with her, now give her to me!" Michael spits back at him.

"Xaphan it's fine I'll go with him." Steff says hoping Michael's wrath won't come down on him as she walks over to the door.

"Steff you don't have to go…. I could…" Xaphan starts, but Steff cuts him off.

"Its fine I have been through hell before I can do it again, just find me a way back please." Steff begs, as she gets closer to Michael. Michael just looks pleased with himself.

"There's my obedient, little fawn." Michael says as he roughly grabs Steff's hand, and begins to drag her back to their house. Once they get there Michael immediately chains her up in the bedroom so she can't leave.

"Michael what are you doing?" Steff asks in panic as she pulls against the chain, but it doesn't budge. Reminding her a lot like the time that Lucifer had recaptured her and tortured her for weeks.

"I told you to stay here Steff, I told you to stay right there in that bed, and did you? No you left and started talking madly around Heaven…. How do you think that makes me look huh? Tell me Steffanie how does that make me look if I can't even control my weak mate." Michael shouts angrily at Steff, and she just backs away from him on the bed in fear.

"Michael I'm not your Steff…. Please listen to me." Steff begs as she tries to soothe his anger while she backs away from him.

"Steff you are going to stay in this room, unless I tell you, you can go." Michael says to her in as he pushes her onto the bed roughly.

"Michael please release me." Steff pleads to him as tries to access her power, but can only get the measly ice angel powers… not even close to being strong enough to stop an archangel.

"Steff I will tell you this one more time. You are mine, now and forever." Michael says with a wolfish grin as he pins Steff to the bed. Holding her wrists above her head as he begins to kiss her neck roughly leaving bruises as he goes.

"Please stop, please." Steff begs him as she tries to twist away, but only receives a feral growl from Michael.

"Stop moving and it won't be as rough." Michael says to her roughly as she begins to fight harder, not caring if she has her old powers or not. She begins to kick and she bites at him. Steff bucks up trying to get him off of her, and he just laughs at her resistance.

"LUCIFER!" Steff cries out in desperation, and Michael bites her collarbone drawing blood.

"He is never going to save you again 'Sweetheart'." Michael says mockingly to her as he laps at the blood he drew with little kitten licks.

"Stop…" Steff pleads to him as she turns her body to complete ice in an attempt to deter him.

"Your as cold as ice." Michael sings out as he snaps his fingers turning her back.

"Sleep." Steff says in desperation as she puts a hand to his forehead, but it does nothing. "Damn these weak powers." Steff curses as she thrashes in his tight grip getting nowhere though.

"Are you done now or shall we continue, because this is going to happen whether you like it or not?" Michael says to her and she does the last thing she can. Steff recedes deep into her soul in an attempt to push out the pain. Michael just smiles as she relaxes and he slowly takes off her clothes. "Bambi you know you love this." Michael taunts as he pulls her shirt off and then takes the rest of her clothing. But right as he is about to thrust into her Xaphan bursts through the door.

"Steff hurry I found him!" Xaphan shouts at her as he breaks the chain, and snaps clothes back onto her. Steff just pushes Michael to the side and bolts through the door with Xaphan. The pair flies through Heaven to a forest similar to that of Amazon Rainforest. When they reach the middle of the forest Steff and Xaphan find a lone dark haired angel standing with his back to them. Steff instantly recognizes the angel as Castiel.

"Cas!" Steff shouts as she hugs him, "Thank god you're here, it's been such a…"

"Steffanie how do you know me I have never met you." Cas answers in confusion of having never met this angel before.

"Cas it doesn't matter… Can you send me back to my correct world?" Steff says quickly trying to hurry this up not sure how long before Michael shows up.

"Yes give me a minute." Cas says as he chants in Enochian then a portal appears. "Go through, it should be the correct place."

"Thank…."

"Bambi wait!" Michael says as he shows up in a fluster.

"Steff go I'll hold him!" Xaphan says as he stops Michael pulling his wings back to restrain the archangel.

"Fawn don't go! I'm sorry… I don't mean to hurt you… it's just… I'm sorry Steff come back… I love you." Michael pleads with Steff. She can't help, but stop for a second. When she looks into his eyes seeing the love and caring of her Michael, but then something darker shines through… something that pulls Steff back to the harsh reality of this world.

"No, I'm going back to my Lucifer, my Dean, my Sam, my Cas, my Balthazar, my Gabriel, and most of all my Michael." Steff says confidently as she jumps through the portal, and her vision goes black again.

Steff's normal world

This time when Steff awakes she is in the arms of a sleeping Lucifer in their house in Hell on the bed in their bedroom. Steff looks around and hoping this is her usual world, but she can't be sure so she wakes up Lucifer.

"Luci, please wake up…. Please Luci." Steff begs as he blinks, awaking slowly.

"Sweetheart are you alright? What happened why is your neck bruised?"

"Lucifer it's really you… I've missed you so much!" Steff says as she cries into his chest as he embraces her tightly.

"Steff what happened when you were gone?" Lucifer asks wondering what could possibly have happened to cause her to be in such a distraught state.

"It was awful Michael was my mate and he beat me…. They didn't even have a Keshet so the Apocalypse happened and Earth was destroyed…. Then Balthazar and Gabriel didn't exist and Cas didn't even know me… Plus Michael killed Sammy and you… and Dean and Bobby were killed in an accident… and I was alone with just weak ice angel powers… But then I found Xaphan and he helped me…" Steff rambles to Lucifer as she cries harder into his chest.

"Steff… Hey Steff." Lucifer says trying to get her attention, but Steff doesn't look up she just wraps her arms and wings around him tighter. "Sweetheart, look at me."

"He was so mean, and he hurt me." Steff mumbles as she feels Lucifer pulling her head up to look at him.

"It's alright Sweetheart. I gotcha and the Michael here would never hurt you because if he did I would kill." Lucifer says to her in a soothing tone as he strokes her wings.

"Lucifer what happened? How long have I been gone?" Steff asks as she dries her tears realizing that this is truly her world and her angel.

"It was a rogue archangel apparently he was upset about the Apocalypse never happening. He thought if he forced you from me he could kill me easier, but he was wrong… See Samael had shown up with Marchosias to discuss their plan, when the angel decided to try and assassinate me. However they had gotten here just in time to help me kill him. Also you have been gone for a little more than two days." Lucifer explains to her and he watches as she let's out a loud sigh of relief from his lap.

"This Apocalypse is really starting to piss me off… Seriously I don't understand why angels would want that it was so desolate, and Heaven was so boring with all the angels just lazily sitting around." Steff says as she gets off of his lap.

"Steff where are you going?"

"I…. I need… I just have to see them." Steff says as she is about to take off, but Lucifer stops her.

"Sam and Gabriel are… uh… you know." Lucifer says trying to keep her from cock blocking his brother and hers too. Steff just nods in understanding, but then remembers that she came here with Dean.

"Dean… Oh I forgot about Dean! Is he here? I'm so stupid…" Steff curses as she runs through the house. She then rushes out the door frantically searching for Dean before Lucifer can explain that Cas has Dean.


	38. Passion in the Darkest of Angels

When Steff hits the pits she looks for any trace of Dean, but feels nothing and while she is searching she runs right into Bernael.

"Sorry Bernael." Steff apologizes quickly as she dusts herself off, and then continues forward. When Lucifer finally manages to catch up, he's just behind Steff and sees Bernael picking herself up off the ground.

"Bern you okay?" Lucifer asks as he notices how she bristles at the name Balthazar used to call her. He knows their break up had been particularly difficult for her.

"Lucifer don't call me that, and I'm fine…. What's the deal with her?" Bernael asks as she gestures to Steff looking in all the pits frantically.

"She was thrown into an alternate reality where her brothers were dead…. She is a little frazzled right now." Lucifer says with a sigh as he watches her check all the pits in this spot then move onto another.

"I will never understand her…. How can she care for so many people at once?" Bernael asks in amazement, she could barely keep her heart open enough for one. Lucifer and Bernael watch as Steff flies off to god knows where.

"Bernael… I really have no clue. It's like she has managed to open her heart to everyone, even my father." Lucifer says in wonder, knowing that he could never be that caring or forgiving as his mate. "I guess that's why she's my better half."

"Did you know the reason I left Balthazar was because he loved her, more than he ever could or would love me." Bernael says to Lucifer bitterly as a single tear falls down her face, "That and Balthazar is just… annoying…. He's really irritating, and I'm glad I left him."

"Bern, I have known you for many years and I know that you will find someone eventually." Lucifer assures her as he wraps a wing around her in comfort.

"Lucifer?"

"What Bern?"

"How come you chose her? You know I have loved you since before the fall, and you used to love me too." Bernael asks him with hurt in her voice, mixed with a hint of confusion.

"Because… I… I don't know." Lucifer says not knowing what to tell her, his heart was a fickle beast. He used to think that he loved Bernael. Until he saw how twisted her soul was, and Lucifer knew he couldn't love such a sadistic person.

"Lucifer we are meant to be together… I being darkness and you being light… there can't be one without the other. We were destined to be together from the beginning, God made me when he made you." Bernael says as she looks at him with hurt in her eyes, and just pulls him closer to her as he tries to pull back.

"Bern I…"

"Lucifer we were destined to be together until he created her." Bernael says spitefully. Lucifer tries to pull away again, but can't since she is using her shadow to hold him to her.

"Bernael release me." Lucifer orders the hurt angel.

"No, you are mine now…. She doesn't need you, she has every other angel to go to for comfort." Bernael says possessively as she gags Lucifer, and puts a grace cuff on him.

"Nngh!" Lucifer cries out in outrage and panic.

"Lucifer we were meant for each other." Bernael says as she transports them both to her residence in the darkest pits of Hell. She carries him over to her bed in the master bedroom, and uses the Enochian enchanted cuffs to hold him there. Once she is sure he can't move from the cuffs she takes his gag off.

"Bernael what the hell are you doing?!" Lucifer says in shock and confusion.

"I love you, and since Steff has another bond she will be fine without you… Plus she has no short list of angels making themselves available for her affections." Bernael explains to him, and watches as he shrinks back away from her. She just laughs and crawls onto the bed getting closer, and closer to him till she is straddling his waist.

"Bernael stop this right now!" Lucifer orders knowing Bernael was in love with him, but not this much.

"No." She says to him and uses her powers to find the bond he has with Steff and destroys it. Lucifer let's out a loud gasp and Bernael just smiles, "You're mine now Lucifer."

"Bernael what have you done?" Lucifer whispers out in horror as Bernael begins to rub his thigh traveling higher and higher.

"Shh Lucifer, just accept it…. You know you like it." Bernael tells him as she takes a syringe from behind her back and puts it into his hip.

"What is that?"

"Just something to help you relax," Bernael says with a smile as she watches Lucifer's eyelids slowly start to droop.

"You bitch…." Lucifer says as he falls into unconsciousness.

"Good boy." Bernael says as she cuddles up next to him with a smile and falls asleep.

Back with Steff

Meanwhile Steff was busy searching for Dean in the pits so she didn't notice the cut off in her bond with Lucifer. After her frantic searching of Hell she flies to Earth in search of Dean. She searches everywhere for him and about halfway to Florida she feels a trace of Dean's soul in a motel near Winona, Mississippi. Steff immediately changes course and heads for the motel. When she gets there she hears grunts and yelps so doesn't even bother knocking just busts in.

"What the hell!" Dean shouts as he looks out from under Cas' wings as he sees a frantic looking Steff. Steff not realizing that it's Cas on top of her brother tackles the angel in the form of a dark blue lioness made of fire.

"Get off my brother you angelic bastard!" Steff shouts as she pins the frightened angel beneath her to the floor, and digs her claws into his wings.

"Steff get off of him!" Dean shouts in panic as he pulls tries to pull Steff off of him afraid that she might kill him.

"Steffanie Marie Winchester!" Cas shouts authoritatively from under Steff, and that's when she notices their state of undress.

"Cas?" Steff asks in confusion as she retracts her claws and turns back into a person.

"Yes Steff it's me." Cas says with anger as he pushes Steff off him, his wings twitching in frustration.

"Oh My God!" Steff says in horror as she backs away from the men and closes her eyes, "I'm sooo sorry." She chokes out as she puts her hands to her eyes and continues backing out of the motel room.

"Get out!" Dean shouts in embarrassment at his sister, and watches as she backs out of the room laughing.

"Sooo sorry." Steff yells to them as Cas slams the door behind her. She makes a mental note to call next time, instead of just barging in on her brother and her guardian angel having sex. Steff decides it might just be best to go look for Sammy, and with her powers she feels for him. She finds him about a days drive from Dean, but since she can fly it takes her about an hour. When she gets there she knocks on the motel room having learned from her previous mistake.

"Hold on!" Steff hears from inside the room and waits for someone to answer the door.

It takes about a minute, but Sam finally answers door.

"Sammy!" Steff says excitedly as she hugs Sam tightly.

"Steff?" Sam says in confusion as his sister hugs him tightly while returning the gesture.

"Sorry…. I… uh its nothing…. So how's it been?" Steff asks as she pulls away from Sam and enters the motel room. Sam shuts the door behind her.

"Sam who was…. Oh hey Steff." Gabriel says casually as he looks up from the laptop on the kitchen table.

"Hey Gabe." Steff says pleasantly as she sits on a chair across from Gabriel.

"Steff why do you smell like…."

"Gabe, why are you so awesome?" Steff asks quickly as she cuts Gabriel off mid sentence. Causing the archangel to give her a curious look before he answers her.

"Uh… I guess you could say I was born this way, but that's not … so that's where you got off to for the last couple of days… was it fun?" Gabriel says with a knowing smile.

"Gabriel…." Steff says with a warning tone.

"Steffanie where have you been?" Sam asks not really in the mood for this game that Steff plays so well with them.

"Sam it's not important." Steff says quickly while glaring at Gabriel.

"Well since you don't want to talk about it… I'm assuming it is." Gabriel adds quietly.

"Gabriel do me a favor and leave, I need to talk to my brother alone." Steff says with emphasis on the alone. Gabriel just pouts a little and disappears.

"So?" Sam asks expectantly.

"Alternate reality where you guys were dead, Michael was my abusive mate, and I was a very weak ice angel…. Plus Cas didn't know me, Balthazar, and Gabriel didn't exist nor did the Keshet…. Oh and the Apocalypse happened." Steff explains giving Sam the short version. Sam's eyes just go wide at the explanation.

"Oh, well I understand why you came to check." Sam says with understanding and watches, as Steff's worried face becomes a smile.

"Thanks… did you know Cas and Dean are together?" Steff asks wondering when that happened.

"Yeah I found out about two days ago, why?"

"Two days that's all… wow I would have expected Cas to wait a little longer than that… I mean sheesh… I know Dean's a charmer, but I didn't think that he was that good especially an angel at that." Steff ponders out loud and Sam just shakes his head then laughs softly.

"Steff did you walk in on them?"

"Yeah and I may have or have not tackled Cas off of Dean." Steff says as she bites back laughter.

"Off of Dean… wait like he was…"

"Yup, I could barely see him from under Cas' wings."

"Who knew the great Dean Winchester was…" Sam can't even finish the sentence as he and Steff burst into laughter. The two siblings after a minute or two stop laughing, but when Dean shows up with Cas they just start laughing again.

"What?" Dean asks them.

"Nothing Dean nothing." Steff says as she and Sam settle down.

"Oookay, so what was with your charge in earlier?" Dean asks wondering what could have been so important that she almost killed Cas over it.

"Um… I just needed to make sure you were all right. All I could hear was the yelps and I lost it." Steff says to him, "Cas I really am sorry about that."

"It's fine Steff, and judging by the content of your mind. I would have checked if I were you too." Cas says to her easing Steff's guilt a little. She notices that Cas isn't wearing his normal business attire, but rather jeans and a dark blue v-neck t-shirt with a pair of dark brown hiking boots.

"Cas I like your new clothes, you look better without that ratty old coat." Steff comments, as she looks him up and down approvingly.

"Thanks Dean helped me pick them out. He said I would be more comfortable in this and he was right." Cas admits with a smile.

"Wait am I the only one who doesn't know what happened?" Dean says looking a little hurt.

"Come here Baby and I'll tell you." Cas says to Dean and Dean balks at the pet name.

"Cas did you just call me 'Baby'." Dean asks giving him a disapproving look.

"Lucifer calls Steff 'Sweetheart' all the time, and she doesn't mind. Plus Gabriel calls Sam 'Sammy, or Moosey'… so I thought you should have one too." Cas says looking proud of himself. Steff and Sam just rub the back of their necks waiting for Dean to start yelling.

"Cas no, just no." Dean says quietly and calmly remembering what happened last time he yelled at the angel. Steff and Sam just stare in shock at Dean's not blow up.

"Okay Dean." Cas says to him looking like a kicked puppy, and Dean puts an arm around him.

"Someone just fill me in." Dean orders and Cas places his hand on Dean's forehead showing him Steff's memories.

"And now he knows the rest of the story." Gabriel says in a Paul Harvey voice as he shows up next to Sam.

"Yes it has been an exciting couple of days." Steff tells them glad that it's all over.

"It's weird how different the future can be changed with just one event that changes or never happens." Sam remarks with Gabriel's arms around his midsection.

"Yeah Sam it is, and to think if other Cas had been a guardian angel instead of an archangel I would still be stuck there with an abusive Michael." Steff says as she shivers at the memory of him pinning her down comes to mind.

"Hey Steff what's the fastest way to find my father?" Michael asks as he appears next to Steff, and she immediately disappears as far as her wings can carry her.

"What did I say?" Michael asks the group in confusion, wondering what could have set her off so fast.

"She was thrown into an alternate reality, and apparently you were her abusive mate that almost raped her." Gabriel explains to the confused Michael.

"But I would never hurt her."

"Well she just got back today so she is a little jumpy… I guess it's still fresh." Gabriel tells his brother with a sympathetic look.

"Should I go talk to her?"

"Probably not." Sam tells him knowing Steff will show up in a few minutes anyway.

"But I still need to find father."

"Why?" Dean asks as he walks over to Michael.

"Well I need to ask him about the training of young angels. He said something about delegating some of the ones with darker powers to Hell with Steff as their trainer, but I don't know if he still wants that or not." Michael tells the group.

"My son should you really be discussing that with your brother's and Steff's." God says to him. "Where is the Keshet by the way?"

"Shouldn't you be able to figure that out Dad." Gabriel tells him still hanging onto Sam. Sam at this point is starting to get embarrassed by Gabriel's affection.

"Stop." Sam orders lightly to him as he pulls out of his grip. Gabriel just huffs loudly and leaves; God just shakes his head and chuckles.

"Gabriel has to be one of my most sensitive sons, as a young angel if he wasn't hugging someone the boy would cry." God tells them and Michael nods his head in agreement.

"It took Lucifer and I forever to break him of that habit." Michael says to them.

"Alright stop talking about me." Gabriel says as he and Steff show up again.

"Steff there you are." Michael says with a smile as he approaches her, and watches as she flinches when he reaches out to hug her.

"What did you need Michael?" Steff asks as she pushes the memories from her mind, but still stays out of reach just to be safe.

"I was looking for the fastest way to find my father, but he found me… However I still wanted to go over something with you and Lucifer, can you call him?" Michael says to her.

"Yeah sure give me a minute…. That's strange." Steff says in confusion since she can't feel Lucifer's bond only Michael's.

"What?" God asks seeing Steffs confusion.

"I can't feel him and it's not the barriers like I put up, but rather…" Steff says her eyes going wide in horror at the possibility.

"Rather what?" Cas asks her.

"Death." Steff whispers out and God just gives her a strange look.

"He's not…." God says searching for his fallen son, but comes up empty.

"No, no, no!" Steff says as she flies to Hell in panic searching for Lucifer, but finding nothing. However she runs right into Wyatt.

"Hey Steff." Wyatt says cheerily.

"Wyatt when you prophesized my destiny the first time what did you mean about death?" Steff asks quickly hoping it's not Lucifers he predicted.

"I meant your death…. You know when that hex bag killed you after you were turned into a child." Wyatt tells her and watches as she sighs in relief.

"Have you seen Lucifer lately I can't find him and our bond is gone… like completely gone and I didn't end it."

"Actually I haven't seen him today at all… you could try Xaphan he might know." Wyatt suggests to her, "Or Samael, cause weren't they planning something."

"Yeah I'll try them, thanks." Steff says as she flies to the forest of fire where Samael and Xaphan are debating whether or not to create guardians for an artifact of Hell.

"Samael we need to keep it safe… what if someone tries to steal it? We could at least put a few Hellhounds as a deterrent." Xaphan argues to him.

"But Xaphan it's stupid, who would steal it." Samael shoots back at him.

"I don't know, but for some reason God wants to send young angels here for training… Oh Steff nice to see you." Xaphan says as he and Samael turn to face her only to notice her dishevelment.

"Yeah nice to see you too. Have either of you seen Lucifer?" Steff asks worriedly ready to rip the world apart to find Lucifer. Xaphan and Samael notice her anxiety and give her solemn no's.

"Sorry I can't say I have." Samael tells her and they watch as her wings go from white to black with a midnight blue tint.

"Okay well if you find him tell me as soon as possible." Steff says and flies back up the motel room.

"Did you…"

"No I can't find him at all and the fallen can't find him either." Steff says worriedly as she begins to pace inside the room. Her wings shifting from white to blue to black then to red and then back to white and doing it again.

"Steff you need to calm down." God tells the anxious angel.

"Don't tell me what to do God… In fact why don't you just go?" Steff says bitterly to him.

"You insolent little angel." God says as he flares his wings out in a form of challenge.

"Oh don't flare your pathetic wings at me God…. I will kick your ass from here to Saturn." Steff threatens meeting his challenge with one of her own. The humans and angels just watch as Steff and God have an intense stare down.

"Steff, Father stand down this is not finding Lucifer." Michael says to them as he stands between them.

"Move Michael I am going to show this Keshet where her place is."

"Michael please move I'm going to show God what I really think of him." Steff spits at Michael as she pushes him to the side. God puts his hand on Steff's arm, and transports them to an open field where no one can be harmed; however the angels follow them with Dean and Sam. Once there God and Steff instantly start fighting. God throws a beam of light at Steff, and she dodges it while throwing a lightning bolt at him. He laughs as he just absorbs the lightning, and shoots it back at Steff. She lets the lightning strike her and absorbs the power, much to God's surprise.

"How did you?"

"I control weather…. Seriously you can't think this is my first time being struck by lightning." Steff says as she throws a cobra made of black fire at God. He struggles against the black king cobra that manages to wrap itself around his throat. Seeing that she has the upper hand she sends another bolt of lightning except this time she infuses it with fire in the shape of a dragon. It hits God square in the chest and he falls to his knees in shock and in pain. Steff draws her angel blade from her right boot, and advances toward God for the finishing blow. God is breathing hard, but notices her advancing towards him. He stands up and draws his angel blade.

"Seems this has come to a melee battle." God remarks coldly as he stands up to face her.

"Yeah and I don't intend to lose old man." Steff taunts and God plays right into her trap as he advances toward her. Once he is about an arm's length from Steff golden fire pythons shoot up from out of the ground, then wrap themselves around God's arms, legs, and wings. Steff walks over to the immobilized God with a smile on her face as she puts her blade across his throat. Then runs it along the curve of his neck drawing a thin line of blood; with a small chuckle as she puts her blade back in her boot and calls off her snakes. Then she offers God a hand up the angels, and humans just watch in shock as God laughs then accepts the hand.

"I haven't fought like that in years Steff…. It feels good."

"No doubt." Steff says as she heals the burns her snakes caused.

"Did she just beat God?" Dean asks in shock.

"Yes I think she did." Cas answers Dean in similar shock.

"So back to Lucifer, should we wait for him or should I go look again." Steff asks getting back to the topic at hand.

"Well usually we would look for you, but Lucifer wouldn't leave like this without good reason. So my best guess is to wait and see if he comes back." Michael answers her.

"But why would he cut off our bond?"

"Maybe he… uh… I don't know Steff. He is my most fickle son." God admits as he brushes the dust from his clothing and shakes the dust out of his wings.

"I guess I'll wait for now." Steff says sadly wondering what was so important that Lucifer wouldn't tell her about, and that had to have their bond gone.

"I'm sure he's just busy Steff, come to Heaven with us we can train angels till he comes back." Michael offers, but Steff refuses with a gracious smile then disappears.

"Why would Lucifer do this to her… He knows that he means everything to her." Dean asks angrily, tired of seeing his little sister's heart stomped on by that angel. Cas just shakes his head, and curls a wing around Dean. Dean however just shakes them off not really in the mood for his affection right now.

"Dean?"

"Cas just take me back to my motel room." Dean says impatiently, and Cas just nods solemnly then they disappear.

"Gabe can you take me back to Dean?" Sam asks and Gabriel shakes his head then puts his arms around Sam, and they go to Dean and Cas.

"Father why would Lucifer do this?" Michael asks his dad.

"Michael I don't think this was his doing, but I can't be sure… so for now I'll leave it, but if he doesn't come back soon I will look into it. Now we have angels to train, back to Heaven my son." God says as him and Michael fly up to Heaven.


	39. Nothing Brings Steff Back faster than a sick Sammy

Four months later

The boys have seen neither hair nor hide of Steff since the fight with God. It was like she dropped off the face of the Earth, which wasn't really that uncommon for her. They just worry more when she left like this, and didn't show up in a month or two.

"Sam do you think she's alright?" Dean asks Sam after they finish with a typical salt and burn.

"Dean I have no idea. Cas can't find her, and Gabriel hasn't even heard any rumor of her in Heaven." Sam answers him a little disheartened by their sister's disappearance.

"Should we pray to her? She came that one time remember." Dean suggests.

"We could try, but I doubt she will come unless we are in danger." Sam tells him.

"Good point… shoot me."

"Dude I'm not shooting you."

"Come on Sam just in the foot, and if I'm right then she will show up to fix it."

"And if you're wrong?"

"Then another angel will fix it." Dean says nonchalantly, liking shooting a foot was no big deal.

"Not chancing it Dean."

"Come on Sammy it will be fine."

"Dean I will not shoot you."

"Please…"

"Dude are you seriously begging me to shoot you."

"Sammy don't be lame."

"NO!"

"Yes!" Dean says as he hands Sam his gun then goes and sits on the couch.

"Moosey just shoot him already." Gabriel says as he appears next to them.

"No! I won't shoot my brother Gabriel." Sam says as he closes his eyes and leans on the wall, feeling his head spin.

"Please don't shoot Dean." Cas says as he appears as a cat on Dean's lap.

"Alright no matter who shows up and tells me to do it I'm not shooting Dean, even if it was God!" Sam shouts at them as he puts the gun down, and walks into the bathroom slamming the door behind him.

"I think he's upset." Cas comments as Dean strokes him.

"Cas that is an understatement." Gabriel says as he walks over to the bathroom door, and knocks. "Sam?"

"Go away Gabriel." Sam says from inside the bathroom. They just listen as they hear heaving come from the bathroom.

"Sam? Sammy are you alright?" Dean asks worriedly from outside the door.

"Yeah I think it's," they hear puking, "just the stomach flu." Sam answers from the bathroom.

"Moosey open the door." Gabriel says from outside and they hear it click open.

"Gabe…" Sam starts as the door swings open, but can't finish as he throws up into the toilet.

"I know Sam it'll be okay, I'll heal you." Gabriel says soothingly as he puts his hand to Sam's head to heal him, but it doesn't work.

"Gabe?"

"It didn't work."

"Why not?"

"I don't know Sam." Gabriel tells Sam and they watch as he crawls back to the toilet then throws up again. Dean just grimaces at the sound, and gets a glass of water for Sam.

"Here."

"Thanks man." Sam says as he takes the glass and sips it slowly. Dean feels his forehead only to feel that he is burning up.

"Sam your on fire." Dean says as he slowly helps Sam stand up and then guides him over to the bed. Dean puts a trash can next to the bed in case Sam needs to puke then goes, and gets a washcloth with cold water to lay on Sam's head. Sam flinches at the cold clothe, but accepts it.

"Dean it's hot." Sam whimpers to his brother.

"I know Sam… How bout you take off your jacket for me?" Dean suggests quietly as he helps Sam sit up.

"Wait Sam lay back down I got this." Gabriel says as he snaps his fingers and Sam is in sweats with a t-shirt on.

"Thanks Gabe." Sam says weakly as he falls asleep. Dean just watches Sam with a worried face as he packs their gear and loads the Impala. After he gets down he settles on the other bed hoping Sam is well enough to be moved in the morning.

"Dean I can just take you guys to Bobby's." Cas says to Dean and watches as his lovers face loses a few stress wrinkles.

"Thanks Cas, but let's wait till the morning at least… Maybe his fever will break by then." Dean says as he lies down on his bed and Cas lies next to him wrapping his wings around Dean for comfort. Dean just smiles and curls closer to Cas. Meanwhile Gabriel curls up next to Sam who whimpers in relief when Gabriel uses his powers to chill his wings in an attempt to cool Sammy off.

"Gabe." Sam mumbles out as he pulls closer to Gabriel.

"Shh… Sammy shhh. I won't leave you." Gabriel says comfortingly as he falls asleep next to Sam. That night none of them notices when a mysterious angel enters the room, then puts her hand to Sam's forehead, drawing the sickness from him. After she's done she kisses Sam's forehead gently and then Dean's quickly. Then she leaves as quickly as she came, leaving nothing more then a single indigo rose on the bedside table.

In the Morning

When they awake in the morning the angels notice that Sam is no longer sick at all.

"Sam how are you feeling?" Dean asks trying to figure out what could have caused this miraculous healing.

"I feel fine… in fact I feel better than I have in months. Why wasn't this one of your guys doing?" Sam asks wondering why they were suspicious.

"No that, wasn't us… Hell we couldn't even figure out what is was." Cas says and Gabriel just nods his head in agreement. Both of the angels feel a familiar presence, but they can't quite place it.

"Cas doesn't that feel like…" Gabriel starts as he picks up the mysterious indigo rose resting on the beside table.

"Steff, but how come we didn't notice her last night?" Cas asks as he inspects the flower.

"Did anybody have any strange dreams last night?" Gabe asks everyone and they all shake their heads in no.

"This doesn't make any sense!" Cas says obviously getting frustrated with the games Steff is playing.

"Cas chill, if Steff healed him then so be it. If she still doesn't feel like talking then leave her be." Dean tells Cas as he puts a hand in his feathers in an attempt to relax him. Cas just glares as Dean hits all the right spots in his feathers, and Dean can feel Cas relax at his touches.

"Shouldn't we go find her though, what if she gets herself hurt?" Gabriel asks them as he feels the satin petals of the rose.

"Well she's a big girl now, if she gets hurt she knows how to find us and besides we got evil sons of a bitches to kill." Dean says to him as he stops massaging Cas' wings and grabs Sam's duffle, the only one that wasn't packed back into the Impala last night. Sam, Gabriel, and Cas all follow Dean out to the Impala only to hear the trunk door slam down way to hard.

"Dean?"

"What Cas?" Dean asks sharply as he gets into the driver's seat, and Sam rides shotgun with the angels in the back.

"Nothing." Cas sighs out quietly from behind him, knowing Dean's just frustrated because he misses his sister and he is worried about her. Dean just sets his face with its normal glare, and starts the Impala with Sam shifting through newspapers looking for another case in the state.

Seven months later

(In Hell)

It was indeed Steff who had healed Sam those many months ago, but the reason she couldn't stay was because by default she was the new ruler of Hell. See while Crowley, Bahzemet, and the fallen may help her. She is the one who actually makes all the decisions. They're basically like advisors who give her options, and she picks the best one of them or comes up with her own. Most days she can deal with not having Lucifer, but today had been a particularly vexing day where nothing could go right. First a few of the human souls escaped and were making a mess in the pits. Then Xaphan and Samael got into a fight over who had the best-colored wings. Personally Steff thought Samael's were the best because they reminded her of smoke. But she had to remain neutral as she pulled the bickering angels apart, and then sent them to separate corners of Hell. After that she decided to go home to her house, and trudges up the stairs to the large black bed. Once on the bed she hugs the pillow Lucifer use to use and it still smells like him, so with that she falls asleep.

A year has passed

It's been a year and eleven months since Lucifer disappeared. Steff had officially declared him dead three months ago. When she told God he just nodded his head solemnly, and told the angels of Heaven then Steff told the angels of Hell. At first some of the demons and angels tried to take Hell from Steff's control, but she stopped that with a display of her power, then smiting anything that tried to stop her. The fallen had agreed with Steff and allowed her to rule Hell as she saw fit. Once Steff had settled into her position as ruler of Hell, God told Steff about his plan for some of the young angels to come down there to study. Steff thought it was a wonderful idea, so God sent down twelve young angels with Balthazar as their chaperon. The training went wonderfully and when the twelve got done they flew back to Heaven, but Balthazar stayed seeing as he had finished training Seth. Eventually one thing led to another and with them both being mateless at the moment… they bonded. Plus Balthazar had a thing for her before Lucifer. At first Steff was uneasy about it, but after a couple of months. When the pillow she came to grip so tightly at night finally stopped smelling like Lucifer… Steff allowed Balthazar to take his place. She allowed him to stay with her in the bed that used to hers and Lucifers, now it was hers and Balthazars. No longer did she have to worry about being alone because Balthazar was always around. He never left her behind, never withheld information from her, but most of all he filled the hole that Lucifer left when he disappeared… with his love. Balthazar gave her the love that she never knew existed, the love that came naturally, where she didn't have to convince herself of his love… it was just always there… making it absolutely positively undeniable.

Three months later

At night

"Balthy what are you doing?" Steff asks as he begins to kiss her neck while she was reading a book that Crowley gave her on the process of making demons.

"Nothing." Balthazar responds casually as he continues kissing up her neck.

"Balthy stop, I really need to read this." Steff says as she does her best to ignore him.

"Don't mind me then." Balthazar says playfully as he continues kissing as he nips behind her ear. Steff just sighs and keeps reading trying to concentrate on the sentence, 'The process of making a demon can be complex, or rather easy depending on the souls level of resistance.' She tries to read more, but Balthazar decides to run his tongue on the ticklish spot behind Steff's ear. The one spot that only Lucifer knew about, and as soon as Balthazar reaches it she stiffens and tears begin to form in her eyes.

"Alright enough!" Steff says in annoyance, which stops Balthazar immediately and he settles back down.

"Darling are you alright?"

"No Balthazar I'm not! I miss Lucifer, I don't want to be ruler of Hell, and I…" Steff starts, but doesn't finish the sentence because she jumps off the bed.

"Steff wait!" Balthazar pleads as he rushes after her, but she just disappears from the house. He just sighs and curses himself for being so stupid, as he sits on the swing set on the porch waiting for her to return so he can apologize.

Earth

Steff flies to Bobby's house hoping that her brothers are there. She is in luck because when she arrives as a cat she notices the Impala in the road. Steff just pads into the house as a cat, and follows the sound of laughter to the living room. When she peeks in from the kitchen she notices how Cas has his wings around Dean as they sit on the couch, and Steff swears she has never seen Dean happier. Then there's Sam and Gabriel, who is sitting on Sam's lap as a cat with Sam petting him gently, a smile on his face also on the couch. Steff can't help, but smile at both of her brother's happiness, and she swears instead of Dean's frown lines she can see smile lines forming instead. For that one second in time Steff sees that her brothers don't need her protection, her kids haven't needed her in forever, and her own husband didn't want her anymore. So Steff sneaks back out of the house to the barn, and lies in the old stall that she used to use so frequently. The blanket covering the stall still smells like wet dog from the time Sam was turned into a puppy. Then almost drowned by a spelled Gabriel. She just turns back into a human and sits with her back against the stall then draws hers knees up to her chest. She begins to cry quietly truly mourning the loss of her Lucifer… her angel. Steff had never really cried for Lucifer because she always believed he would come back, but he never did. Just left her dropped everything and left her on her own… in charge of Hell. Sure she had the fallen, but Hell just doesn't feel right without Lucifer by her side. It feels so empty there now despite the billions of beings it holds.

A Few hours later

Later that night Bobby told Dean to go out to the barn for some more beers. Dean nods and heads out the door to the barn when he gets there; he notices the sound of soft sobbing coming from the corner stall. He walks over to find Steff curled up in the corner crying, she doesn't even notice when Dean comes over to her.

"Steff?" Dean asks quietly having not seen his sister since her stand off with God.

"Hi Dean." Steff manages to choke out between sniffles.

"Steff what's wrong?" Dean asks as he goes over and kneels by her. He notices a few more stress lines on her face; plus a few bags under her eyes that suggest she hasn't been sleeping well. Steff doesn't answer him she just hugs him tightly, and puts her head on his chest.

"Steff, you're are going to have to talk to me through this one." Dean says as he sits down and pulls her into his lap petting her quivering wings gently.

"Did you hear about Lucifer?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry Steff." Dean says offering his condolences, and Steff just sniffles into his chest.

"Dean I miss him."

"I know Steff, we all do."

"Why would he just leave like that?" Steff says as she tries to control her pitchy voice.

"Steff I don't know… hell I wish I did, but I just don't." Dean says to her quietly and Steff just dries her tears.

"I don't want to rule Hell." Steff mumbles after a few minutes drying most of her tears on her sleeve.

"Most people wouldn't."

"I… its just…"

"Its just Hell."

"Yeah… thanks."

"For what?" Dean asks trying to figure out what he did to help her.

"Understanding." Steff says quietly as she gets off of Dean and stretches her wings out.

"You coming back with me?" Dean asks hoping she does.

"Umm…."

"Come on Steff, the angels are all there." Dean says. Everyone had been missing her especially when her birthday had rolled around. They had expected her to come up, but she never did.

"Sure Dean." Steff says as she puts on a small smile, and grabs the beer from the fridge. Dean just smiles softly and they walk back to the house to hear laughter coming from the living room. They walk in and all of the people turn to see Steff with the beer.

"Steff!" They exclaim with joyful smiles on their faces.

"Hey." Steff responds as the two angels approach her.

"We heard about Lucifer."

"Please don't bring it up." Steff says as she turns into a black cat, and settles on the couch next to Sam. The men and angels just nod in respect of Steff's wishes.

"How's Hell been, you look exhausted?" Bobby asks noticing her state of tiredness.

"Bobby you wouldn't believe how hard it is to run Hell, and then there is Balthazar… He is so needy sometimes… I think he is the most distracting mate I have ever had." Steff tells them.

"Wait you bonded with Balthazar?" Sam asks knowing that Balthazar always had a thing for Steff.

"Yeah we've been together for about a year or so." Steff says nonchalantly as Dean picks her up and starts stroking her fur gently.

"Where is he now?" Cas asks having not seen his brother for a long time.

"In Hell, he has stayed there since the angels came for training." Steff explains to him.

"Well tell him to come up to Heaven once in awhile we miss him up there." Gabriel says to Steff.

"I will." Steff purrs out as Dean scratches behind her ears. Steff spends the rest of the night joking and laughing with her family and their angels like she used to do back when Lucifer was still alive.


	40. A Savior of Sorts

Next morning in Hell

(The corner in which Bernael dragged Lucifer to)

It's been roughly two years since Bernael took hostage of Lucifer as she tried to force him to love her. In those two years Lucifer had been waiting and praying for Steff to come and find him. However he realizes that since the bond is gone she had no way to find him; not even the necklace Michael gave to her would work anymore because he was stuck so deep in Hell. Lucifer being the ever-scheming angel decided to play along with Bernael's craziness until he could escape. See he had tried multiple times to escape only to be dragged back by Bernael and beaten by the tortuous angel. He now understands exactly how Steff must have felt, though he still has no clue how she still loved him after all that.

"Lucifer where are you?" Bernael calls out playfully from outside of the room she keeps Lucifer confined in. She just smiles as she opens the door to find Lucifer sitting on the bed with a glare in his eyes.

"I hate you, and I can't wait till my mate rips you to shreds."

"But I love you and since I'm the one with the grace, that's all that matters."

"You just wait till Steff finds me, then you'll wish you had never done this." Lucifer says confidently.

"I wouldn't be so sure she even cares anymore."

"Why?"

"Seems she has replaced you with Balthazar… I told you she would be fine." Bernael says triumphantly as she settles next to him and plays with his dull feathers. Which confused Bernael because she knew Lucifer was healthy, and there was no reason for them to be dull. However Lucifer just turns into a cat, and hisses as he jumps off the bed then goes under it. Bernael just smiles as she pulls him out from under the bed by his left back leg accidentally breaking it. She hears Lucifer whimper, and immediately tries to heal him but he limps away from her with a loud hiss.

"Bernael release me!"

"No, come here I will help you."

"STEFFANIE!" Lucifer shouts with all of his being hoping she hears it.

Earth

Steff awakes suddenly from the couch having heard her name called by a voice she hadn't heard in years.

"Lucifer…could it be?" Steff mutters in disbelief as she follows the sound all way down to Hell. She follows the sound down to the very darkest corner of Hell where only two things reside; Bernael and the most sadistic demons ever created. In an attempt to get a better view Steff silently approaches the house, looking for any sign of Lucifer or Bernael. She hears nothing, but her grace keeps pulling her towards the house so she continues on. Steff walks up to the door about to knock, but she hears a shout of pain, and goes over to a window to see Bernael pinning Lucifer to a bed and kissing him on the collar-bone. Steff doesn't even think before she kicks down the front door.

"BERNAEL!" Steff shouts in anger and betrayal as she enters the room, wings pure red with her entire body outlined in blazing red fire. Even her long red hair was coated in fire only making her appearance even more frightening as she storms up the stairs. When she gets to a bedroom door where she hears Lucifer's whimpers coming from she blasts it open with a bolt of lightning. Now Bernael had heard Steff come in, but ignored her. However when she saw Steff now, she would have had to be blind to ignore her.

"RELEASE HIM!" Steff spits at Bernael as she uses her powers to throw her off Lucifer then makes red daggers pin her to the wall by her wings.

"Make me." Bernael challenges as she uses her shadow in an attempt to punch Steff, but Steff just sticks a hand out and burns the shadow to a crisp before it can even touch her.

"Now!" Steff orders her as she approaches Bernael who is now struggling against the daggers in an attempt to get away from the fiery angel. Bernael just gulps as Steff grabs her by the throat then begins to tighten her grip, the fire burning her skin and choking her at the same time.

"No you angelic, skank." Bernael grunts as she kicks out her foot landing it in Steff's stomach, but Steff doesn't even flinch. She just pulls her angel blade from her sleeve and holds it to Bernael's throat.

"If you don't do it now I will kill you in the most painful way I can." Steff threatens with a smile as she sees the fear finally sink into Bernael's eyes. Bernael just begins to shake under Steff's grip, and snaps her fingers releasing Lucifer from the cuff.

"There he's free, now leave." Bernael says shakily from Steff's grip, however Steff has other plans. She creates a slit in Bernael's throat, and puts hundreds of tiny fire snakes into the slit. Then watches with a smile as they burn Bernael's arteries, veins, and capillaries as they move through her body Steff watches as the angel of darkness drops to the ground twisting, and writhing in pain as she meets her fiery end. Once the snakes run their course Steff ignites the body watching it burn to a pile of ash with a triumphant smirk. Lucifer just watches with wide eyes at the fight that just happened, never knowing his sweet little Steff could be that sadistic. If Lucifer had to describe her at that point he would have called her his avenging angel.

"Sweetheart?" Lucifer says quietly and Steff turns back into her normal dark winged self.

"Luci!" Steff says in pure joy as she tackles him in excitement, but Lucifer gasps in pain.

"Ow… gentle Steff." Lucifer warns as he tries to unwrap Steff from his aching torso.

"Sorry, here I'll fix it." Steff says as she kisses him deeply, pushing her power through it healing Lucifer completely. Lucifer just smiles into Steff as he picks her up bridal style and flies them to their house.

"Steff your…." Balthazar starts, but stops when he notices Steff in Lucifer arms, "Oh."

"Balthazar what are you doing here?" Lucifer asks in confusion.

"Nothing Lucifer I just wanted to make sure Steff was okay. I hadn't heard from her and just wanted to be sure she was alright." Balthazar lies, hiding the hurt in his eyes as he ends the bond with Steff abruptly. Steff just nods her head in silent thanks as Lucifer takes her into the house and up to their bedroom.

"Sweetheart…" Lucifer says as she gets out of Lucifer's arms.

"I know Lucifer… We looked and we looked, but no one could find you… Not even God could find you." Steff remembers sadly looking down at her lap. She remembers how she had screamed and wept when God told her he was gone.

"Steff it's not your fault, Bernael spelled the house and the cuff… but how did you finally find me?"

"I heard you shout my name and you sounded like you were so much pain…. and I knew I had to find you even if…."

"I love you." Lucifer says cutting Steff off before she can finish that thought.

"I love you more…" Steff starts, but just kisses him deeply savoring in the fact that he's back. Lucifer smiles into the kiss, but stops when he feels something wet on his face.

"Sweetheart what's wrong?" Lucifer asks as he pulls her closer to him as she cries into his chest.

"I thought you were never coming back… I thought you didn't want to be around me, and that's why you ended the bond… I was so alone… then the fallen told me that I had to rule Hell… then I was so lonely and God sent Balthazar with angels for me to train… and he was so comforting." Steff rambles on to Lucifer who just smiles at his distressed wife.

"Sweetheart I was gone for over two years if you bonded with someone it's okay." Lucifer reassures her. Steff just nods and moves closer to Lucifer, who just smiles as he lies back with her on him.

"I think we should use the buddy system from now on." Steff says sleepily as she looks up to Lucifer from his chest.

"Steff that would work for a day, then you would get pissed and leave me behind." Lucifer points out with a smile as he feels Steff renew the bond.

"It's good to be back…" Steff says as she drifts off into sleep. Lucifer just smiles as he kisses the top of her head as he runs his fingers through her wings; unknotting then healing the ones damaged from her fight with Bernael.

"I'll never leave you Steff, never." Lucifer whispers as he and Steff fall into the best sleep either of them has ever had in literally two years.

Next Morning

(In Heaven)

After Balthazar saw Lucifer in Steff's arms he knew him and Steff were through. So he flew back up to his Heaven, it was a sandy beach where the sun always shined and the water was always a lovely turquoise blue. Right now his Heaven was a pleasant eighty degrees with no humidity and the sun shining down on the water.

"I remember when I used to have angels lined up to bond with me, but I drop it all for one angel…then she dumps me, but I found another… only to be dumped again once her real mate comes back…" Balthazar sighs out in frustration as he sits in sand stretching his wings out in the sun, the gray feathers absorbing the warm sunshine. He just quietly sits there until Seth shows up.

"Hey Uncle Balth!" Seth says cheerily, Steff never told her children of their father's disappearance and God had made sure they never heard.

"Hey! How's my favorite nephew?" Balthazar asks cheerily trying his best to hide the sorrow in his voice as Seth comes over and sits by him.

"I think I'm your only nephew… anyways it's good have you seen my mom lately."

"Yeah she's with your father in Hell."

"Okay… Are you alright?" Seth asks noticing his uncles unusually subdued mood.

"Uh… yeah."

"Uncle Balthazar don't lie to me." Seth says sounding just like Steff when she wants the truth and it causes Balthazar to smile.

"Seth did you know your mother and I have been bonded for two years."

"What!"

"Yes we've been together since my father sent me to Hell with angels to train, and with Lucifer being gone for so long… it just sort of happened. We were in love I thought, but as soon as she found Lucifer again… I was kicked to the curb." Balthazar tells him and he watches as Seth just sits down in shock.

"Is… Are you okay?" Seth asks knowing if his mother was there then his father was fine, however his uncle was another story completely.

"I… I don't know Seth… I have loved your mother since the first date we had. This was back before her and Lucifer bonded, back when your mother was more rebellious and even harder to control…. It was a warm summer night, the wind ruffled our feathers just right and Steff's hair was blowing in the wind. She was so beautiful… hell she still is. Dean had told Steff she wasn't allowed to be alone with male angels… So your mother being your mother flew straight to Heaven, and found the most rebellious angel she could next to Lucifer of course; being an angel of revelry I was the obvious candidate. See at the time I was planning to find better mates. I have always had more than one but until your mother, bonding never really meant much to me…. However that's neither here nor there, back to the story… At first when I met Steff I thought she was just another angel looking to bond, but when she turned down my offer… it was like something clicked inside of me. I wanted her; I wanted that angel, who I had only known for a solid ten minutes to be my mate forever. Now at the time I hadn't known she was Lucifer's or the Keshet, all I knew was that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her." Balthazar tells Seth passionately who just sits there with a smile. Imagining his mother young and rebellious having heard from his uncles the trouble she had gotten into.

"So what happened with you guys?"

"I took her out. We flew around the whole day we went to the movies, then to Heaven where she watched me train angels, and then we went out for breakfast that night… I got her home around two in the morning, much to your father's dismay and also her brothers… I kissed her on Bobby's porch and that was it; I didn't see her again until Azazel captured us all, but then I met Bernael… I tried to replace the feelings I had for Steff with her, and it worked for a while… That was until Bern realized I wanted Steff instead of her… I had kept pushing her to have children. She didn't want to have children, go figure the angel of darkness and destruction. Could you imagine those children..." Balthazar explains to him and Seth just gives him a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright Seth, not your fault but hey keep this between us."

"I will… haven't you heard of student to mentor confidentiality?" Seth says to him with a smile and Balthazar just chuckles.

"She was my light in a sea of perpetual darkness." Balthazar mutters out and Seth cocks his head.

"What?"

"It's what I used to call your mother sometimes, though never to her face… she probably would have laughed at me."

"I don't think so, Dad calls mom lots of things sometimes… Good days it's usually Sweetheart, well on bad days it's sometimes bitch or… well let's just say Dad has some colorful language." Seth says with a grimace, and looks over to see Balthazar shaking his head as he stands up.

"Well Seth it was lovely to talk to you, but I really should get back to being a guardian of humanity." Balthazar sighs out as he walks over to Seth.

"I'll come with Lilly told me she and Vern were doing something today… so I got nothing to do." Seth chimes in as he stretches his wings out.

"Come along then Seth, let's go save someone." Balthazar says as he takes off with Seth not far behind.


	41. I love you Lucifer, don't I... This is love isn't it?

Same time, but in Hell

When Lucifer awoke the next morning in a strange bed alone, he was immediately on edge. Until he noticed there was no cuff on his arm, and the events of yesterday came flooding back to him. But once that feeling leaves it comes right back when he realizes Steff isn't in the house at all. He walks down the stairs looking for any sign of where she could have possible gone. When he reaches the kitchen he notices a blue sticky note on the fridge 'Went out for a run be back in an hour. If not, find Balthazar he knows where I run.' The note reads and Lucifer wonders why Balthazar would know where she ran, hell even he didn't even know she ran. Then it dawns on him, he was probably the angel she bonded with while he was gone.

"Hmm Balthazar … he always did have a thing for her." Lucifer mutters out quietly as he runs a hand through his greasy blonde hair. Deciding it's time for a shower he goes back to the bedroom, and uses the shower in the bathroom connected to their room.

About half an hour later

"You never really know the true value of something until it's gone." Lucifer mutters as he towels off his hair with a smile. Then he shakes out his wings getting most of the water out, leaving them a shiny black and very fluffy. Once he's dry and dressed he turns into a cat, and wanders out to the barn to see his mare. He makes the walk down to the barn. When he gets there he sees Starlight and Sky discussing the current state of Hell.

"I think Steff is doing a wonderful job given the fact that Lucifer just left with no instructions… How could he just leave my rider like that?" Sky says to his mate as he stamps his foot in indignation. Lucifer just listens quietly from the entrance curious as to what these steeds have to say.

"Sky she has been with Lucifer long enough to know how to run Hell…. If you ask me she should have never been an angel of Hell to begin with." Star says angrily. Sky just looks at her with anger in his eyes.

"Starlight! How can you say that especially when Steff has never been anything, but nice to you." Sky says in irritation.

"Don't get me wrong Sky. She is a wonderful girl, but she leaves Lucifer all the time… but the few times he leaves it's like the world is ending. I mean that girl flips out if he leaves her, but when she leaves she acts like its no big deal… You may not see it, but I do; I see how bad it hurts him." Starlight argues back meeting his fiery gaze with her own. Sky having nothing else to say, just goes quiet as he notices Lucifer pad over as a cat.

"Lucifer?"

"Hello Sky Ranger, Starlight. How have my favorite Nightmaric steeds been?" Lucifer asks as he turns back into a person and walks over to Starlight.

"Where have you been?" Starlight asks in shock.

"Bernael went crazy and ended the bond I had with Steff then drugged me, cuffed me, and took me to her place in Hell." Lucifer explains quickly as he strokes Starlight's forelock.

"Bernael… she always did have a thing for you." Starlight neighs out. Lucifer just shakes his head, and grimaces remembering how she had tried to force him to bond with her. He had managed to refuse her each time.

"Who knew she was crazy?" Sky comments quietly as he leaves the stall, and walks out to the pasture alone. Starlight just sighs as she watches her mate leave in a huff.

"I heard what you guys were saying." Lucifer says to his steed as she turns back to him.

"I have a point."

"She has always been delicate with big things, especially if something bad could happen if she failed."

"So what, it's time for her to grow up."

"Star I don't think you understand. Running Hell isn't easy, especially when you're just thrown into it."

"I suppose Lucifer, but that doesn't explain why she freaks out when you leave her."

"Steff has very deep set abandonment issues…. At a young age her brother and mother left her, then when they came back years later she had to kill them… Plus her father was never around, which caused even more damage."

"Fair enough, but then why does she run from you?"

"Because running is a lot easier for her to understand than dealing with it… She was always either forced to fight or run." Lucifer tells her and she just nods her head in understanding Steff a little more.

"I need to go talk to him."

"Good, I hate it when you two fight."

"Same for you and Steff." Starlight whinnies out as she crosses the pasture to Sky, and Lucifer just leaves the barn. He walks back to the house and sits on the back porch swing waiting for Steff to come back.

Forty-five minutes later

"Maybe I should go look for her." Lucifer mutters as he gets off the swing, and goes into the house to find Steff with Samael, Xaphan, Bahzemet, and Crowley discussing a plan in the living room about constructing new pits.

"Crowley I think you have the best plan to help make them more efficient…" Steff discusses with them, and smiles suddenly when Lucifer walks in through the backdoor.

"Lucifer?" The others say in shock.

"Yeah I just got back last night. Steff did you tell anyone yet?" Lucifer asks her in annoyance that she is keeping this to herself.

"Sorry Luci, I needed this project started…"

"Oh." Lucifer says now knowing what she used to complain about it when he got busy.

"Why don't you go tell them, and I will finish up here." Steff suggests with a smile and Lucifer nods his in agreement as he walks out of the house, then flies to earth.

Bobby's House

Early afternoon

Lucifer flies to Earth first simply because it's the shortest distance, and locates Bobby's house then flies there. He notices that Dean, Sam, Bobby, Gabriel, and Cas are there. Lucifer thought about making a big entrance, but decides against; he goes for the just pop into the middle of the room option.

"Hey guys." Lucifer says cheerily and watches as mouths drop around the room.

"Lucifer?" Dean asks as he pushes Cas off of him.

"The one and only."

"Where have you been brother?" Cas asks in confusion as he stands up and approaches him.

"Make a long story short Bernael captured me, ended the bond I had with Steff, but somehow Steff managed to find me last night. You guys should have seen her… Has she always been that scary in battle?" Lucifer explains quickly.

"Yeah ever since she fought father and won." Gabriel tells him and they watch as Lucifer's eyes get big.

"She beat Father." Lucifer whispers in shock and awe.

"You should have seen her Lucifer, if she had wanted to she could have killed him." Cas says to him.

"But how?" Lucifer asks barely comprehending this.

"We think she just out maneuvered him." Gabriel tells him.

"Really… can someone show me?" Lucifer asks wanting to see this for himself. Cas nods his head and puts a hand on Lucifer's forehead. Lucifer just watches the fight with Steff winning, and right as the killing blow is about to be struck she backs off and offers God a hand up.

"Wow…" Is the only word Lucifer can manage to utter at the scene he just witnessed. Cas and Gabriel just nod their heads in agreement at his expression.

"I know…. Remind me to never piss her off again." Gabriel says his face showing similar shock.

"Will do… Hey so how often has she left Hell these last two years?" Lucifer asks having seen Steff with a few more stress lines, and a lot more tired then when he was taken. The men and angels all look around at the ground. "Seriously you guys, you really just left her in Hell by herself to deal with that mess."

"Well what were we exactly supposed to do?" Dean asks, knowing it was hard but someone had to do it.

"You ignorant, self righteous…" Lucifer starts, but stops when Michael shows up.

"Dean have you seen… Lucifer?" Michael asks as he turns to see Lucifer standing there with an annoyed look that turns to a smile when his eldest brother shows up.

"Michael I was just about to come…" Lucifer starts, but is cut off again when Michael just gives him a hug. Lucifer just smiles as his brother holds him tightly.

"Lucifer where have you been?"

"I was captured, beaten, but Steff found me yesterday so it's all good." Lucifer says as he pulls out from Michael's arms only to be taken back in.

"I thought you were dead."

"I know Michael, but I'm not so let me go."

"I swear to father if you leave again, I will kill you."

"How come when I leave I get death threats, but when Steff leaves she gets a slap on the wrist?" Lucifer says as he pulls from Michael with a pout.

"Because you are older than her… She is allowed to run from this, you are not." Michael explains to him with a smile.

"Still not fair…. So answer my question from earlier why did no one take Steff out of Hell for awhile." Lucifer asks looking around for explanations, but no one has one.

"Well after the fight with Dad, she disappeared for along time, but she showed up here three days ago she spent the night. Though had Dean not found her in the barn I don't think we would have seen her at all." Gabriel says to him.

"Okay, but why didn't you just go drag her out Castiel." Lucifer says as he looks to her guardian angel expectantly. "Last I checked it was your job to guard her."

"Well uh…"

"Next time get your dick out of Dean and do your fucking job." Lucifer shouts angrily at him having finally lost his patience. Cas just shrinks back, but Dean steps forward challengingly.

"If she wanted to be saved she knows where we are." Dean says to him defending Cas.

"Dean don't pull that crap! You of all people know she won't ask for help, so just be her brother next time." Lucifer shouts at him and watches as Dean just grits his teeth, but backs off.

"So what are you doing now Lucifer?" Michael asks his brother trying to change the subject.

"I'm going to visit father then I am going to take back control of Hell." Lucifer says and with that he flies up to Heaven to talk with his father about the last few years; Michael just tags along too. The two angels and men just watch as Lucifer flies off in a huff with Michael close behind.

"He makes me feel regret." Cas says after a few minutes.

"It's okay Cas, it's not your fault." Dean says to him as he rubs Cas' wings relaxingly.

"No he is right I should have at least gone and checked on Steff." Cas says as he looks down at his feet.

"Cas chill, he's back now so it's okay." Dean says as he kisses Cas. Sam and Gabriel just smile at them.

"Stop kissing your angel in my presence boy." Bobby scolds them lightly with a chuckle. Dean just stops kissing him and Cas smiles then just disappears.

"Cas!" Dean shouts after him.

"He went to find Steff." Gabriel tells Dean and Dean just sighs.

"Dude chill, he'll be back in an hour." Sam says to him and Dean just huffs then walks outside to the Impala to make a supply run.

In Hell

When Cas flies to Hell he finds it in complete chaos. Souls running around frantically and demons fighting each other, blood everywhere. As he looks around he sees Steff holding off demons from Wyatt and Xaphan who have been injured. Cas flies over to her as she smites the last of the demons and souls attacking Wyatt and Xaphan.

"Xaphan turn around…. Okay you're fine now. Wyatt let me see your wings…. All right your wings are fixed. Both of you go help Samael, I will help Marchosias." Steff orders as she pulls out her blade, and charges over to Marchosias using her lightning to strike some of them down. On the other five she and Marchosias work together to take down the others with their blades. Once that's finished she checks Marchosias for wounds, but sees none.

"Where is Zakiel?" Steff asks her not seeing him around.

"He is at our mountain home. I told him to stay back, he's not a great fighter." Marchosias answers her, Steff just nods and Marchosias flies off to help another angel who is pinned down. Steff is about to fly off, but Cas calls out her name in pain.

"CAS!" Steff shouts as she watches Cas get stabbed in the midsection. She sends a bolt of lightning killing the soul instantly. Steff watches as Cas doubles over, and falls down to the ground she immediately rushes over. "Cas stay with me… come on, stay awake." Steff begs as she heals the wounds; ignoring her own pain or how she can feel her power waning, 'I have to save him, for Dean.' She thinks to herself as she heals him then uses some of her power to send him back to Bobby's house.

Bobby's house again

4 hours later

"STEFF!" Cas shouts out as he lands on Bobby's couch in the middle of a discussion about the nearest hunt with the Dean, Sam, Gabriel, and Bobby.

"What about Steff?" Dean asks seeing the blood on Cas' jeans.

"Danger, Gabriel get Michael and Lucifer quickly." Cas orders to tired to go to Heaven. Gabriel just nods quickly and flies to get them.

"Cas explain." Dean orders to him as he sits down next to him on the couch.

"Dean, just wait a few minutes please." Cas says as he gains his strength and Lucifer, Michael, and Gabriel show up.

"Cas what's happening?" Lucifer asks him noticing the blood, but he can feel Steff's grace on him so he assumes she healed him.

"Lucifer it's bad, there is some sort of rebellion and Steff is barely holding up." Cas says gravely, and Lucifer nods his head then flies to Hell.

"Castiel I'm going too." Michael says as he disappears down after Lucifer.

"I suppose I should go too." Gabriel says, and Sam nods his head sending a mental 'be safe', "Always am Sam." and with that Gabriel disappears down to Hell.

Half an hour later

Heaven

Balthazar felt Gabriel come to Heaven quickly and leave with Michael and Lucifer just as fast. He follows them down, knowing his brothers never left that quickly.

Bobby's

"Cas what's happening?" Balthazar asks him noticing the blood.

"Hell is under a rebellion." Cas says to him and Balthazar's thoughts immediately go to Steff.

"Is Steff alright?"

"She was healing and fighting at the same time… I don't know." Cas says to him and watches as Balthazar pales.

"Cas, she can't keep that up for long."

"Michael, Lucifer, and Gabriel are there plus the fallen, she should be fine."

"I'm going, give me your blade."

"Balthazar I'm sure…"

"Give me your blade."

"Balth…"

"Cas give it to me dammit!" Balthazar shouts at him, and Cas just hands him the blade in defeat.

"Balthazar just remember… defense."

"I know." Balthazar says as he flies to Hell dual wielding angel blades.

Hell

When Balthazar arrives he finds his brothers pinned down in a corner. Balthazar instantly joins the fight, tucking his wings in close to him, and stabbing two souls killing them. He makes his way over to Lucifer slowly wading through souls and a few demons.

"Lucifer!"

"Balthazar I'm fine, where is Steff?"

"I don't see her, but I feel her."

"On me brother, to victory!" Lucifer shouts and Balthazar just laughs at his brother's lame battle cry. They pair fight their way over to Michael and Gabriel only to find Gabe injured.

"Gabe you okay?" Lucifer asks with concern, as he looks his brother over.

"Just a broken wing, nothing Cas or someone else can't heal later… Balthazar?"

"Yeah." Balthazar says coolly as he shifts both of the blades in his hands.

"Is that…"

"Yes. Have you seen Steff?"

"No, last we heard she was with Bahzemet." Michael answers as he pulls his blade out of a soul's chest and wipes the blood on his pants. Lucifer and Balthazar just nod as they continue on killing and looking for Steff.

About twelve hours later

The battle finally comes to a close when the last soul was thrown back into a pit, and the demons brought back under control. Lucifer and his brothers had managed to find all of the fallen most of them healed by Steff at some point. They also found Bahzemet and Samael helping a younger angel out with her wounds, but no Steff. Also no one had managed to find Crowley either, but they had found one of his Hellhounds dead. At this point Lucifer gathers everyone together in the main hall of Hell.

"Now as most of you know I was gone from here for awhile, but in my leave my mate took over. Though Steff may not have been a great ruler and I'm not really sure why today happened, but we can't find her or Crowley. If anyone knows anything please tell me or one of the fallen." Lucifer says as he steps down from his podium. The crowd just nods and begins to talk amongst themselves. Most of the remaining beings had been saved by Steff at one point, so just about everyone had seen her. So Lucifer and Michael quickly begin trying to sift through the information, listening for any information that could lead to her and Crowley.

Three hours later

Lucifer's house

"Michael what have you learned?" Lucifer asks as he got done talking to his half of the mob.

"Mostly just thanks for Steff… Lucifer it seems she tried to save everyone. Whether that was healing them or saving them from danger…. She was doing this for all of them, there is no way she is still…"

"Don't say it."

"Lucifer you must be prepared…"

"Michael don't fucking say it!" Lucifer shouts at his brother. Michael just nods his head and sits next to Lucifer on the couch. "I just got her back, she can't be..."

"I'm sorry Lucifer." Michael says to Lucifer as he puts a hand on his shoulder.

"She isn't dead… she just isn't." Lucifer says with a pleading voice. Michael just sighs and pets his brother's wings comfortingly.

An hour later

While Lucifer and Michael were interviewing, Balthazar had been looking for Steff. He had searched the entire battlefield following her scent.

"STEFF!" Balthazar shouts out, but hears nothing, "CROWLEY!". He shouts this wondering if maybe Steff was hurt.

"Balthazar?" Crowley answers back quietly from behind a tree, Balthazar instantly runs over to them. He finds Crowley sitting next to Steff holding his coat against a deep side wound.

"Crowley what happened?" Balthazar asks as he kneels next to Steff and begins to close the wound.

"She saved me, and another demon from a pack of souls with wild Hellhounds…. Stupid angel." Crowley says as he pets her wings that were once white, but now have six large bite wounds, and many scorch marks from where demons had scorched them. Balthazar just puts his hand on the wounds as he tries to heal them. But since they're no longer bonded he can't heal her effectively, mainly just closing up small scrapes.

"Crowley we need to take her to Lucifer."

"Really angel boy, now come on." Crowley says sarcastically as he picks Steff up only to have her wake.

"Crowley…. Run I'll get them." Steff mumbles out as she tries to move from his arms.

"Love it's alright, you already did." Crowley assures her, and watches as she slumps back into his arms. "Balthazar why don't you just fly her back, and I'll see what I can do around here." Crowley suggests to Balthazar who just nods and takes Steff. She starts to struggle in Balthazar's arms, but eventually settles when she hears him speak.

"Balthazar, I'm sorry." Steff tells him with a small voice, "I love you Balthy I do, but he is my true mate." Balthazar just stops walking with her in his arms, he sets her down, then props her against a rock.

"Steff why can't you just accept the fact that you and I were in love… hell I'm still in love with you now even after you broke my heart. Why can't you just admit to yourself that you love me more then you have ever loved him? Steff for Christ's sake; he tortured you, beat you, and just to top it all off trapped you here with him…. He is possessive, arrogant, mean, but most of all he is…"

"Balthy just go." Steff says weakly to the hurt angel.

"Steff just listen to me I have a point."

"No! I won't listen to you trash talk him, just leave, and come back when the Balthazar that I love is back. The Balthazar who is kind, caring, but most of all… the one who stood by my side! The one that was there when I needed him, the one I cared for, the one who made me realize that I wasn't just some pathetic human angel hybrid." Steff shouts at him as she leans her head back against the rock having used most of her remaining energy. Balthazar just looks down at the ground.

"Steff, I have loved you since the first time we met…. Since that date we had so long ago. The very first one, you're the angel that made me realize bonds are meant to be forever." He says to her in one last attempt to make her see reason.

"I'm sorry Balthy, but I love him and I can't leave him."

"Can't or won't?"

"Both, I can't live without him, I just can't."

"But you and I managed for two years."

"Balthazar, you know…"

"You're right I do know, but I also know how much heartache he has caused you. I know that he leaves you more often than you would admit. I know the torture he has put you through, and how you cry out in your sleep for him to stop…. But I also know that sometimes you wish you would have said yes to me so many years ago."

"That may be, but things change… people grow up… I need a mate not a love sick puppy." Steff says bitterly to him, and sadly she watches as his wings stiffen in anger. She knows that was the reason Bernael left him; Bernael had wanted someone more mature.

"Very well, then I guess this is goodbye." Balthazar says to her coldly as he turns, and flies away from her as she cries by the rock. Not only was Steff injured on the outside, but also now on the inside (besides the internal bleeding) because she knew every word he had said to her was true. Had she not stopped him; she might have taken him back, but Steff knows she belongs with Lucifer now and forever. He was her soul mate, and no matter what she felt for Balthazar. She knew her feelings for Lucifer would trump them. So Steff being wounded, alone, and tired does the only thing that could possibly make sense to do at this time, she cries harder. She cries for the pain she caused herself, she cries for how cold she feels on the inside, but mostly she cries for the fact that she has lost Balthazar. She lost him and he'll probably never come back to her again…. hell if she were him, she wouldn't blame him one bit. Considering the fact that she just crushed his heart, basically just tore it into pieces with just a couple sentences. So Steff just sits there and stares at the spot Balthazar stood in. Eventually from her internal wounds, and the lack of blood she passes out.

Three days later

Now during this time the fallen had been searching all over for Steff and Crowley. They found Crowley helping to get things back in order. When Xaphan finds him he asks where Steff is, and Crowley tells him that Balthazar was with her last he knew. Xaphan tells Michael and Michael goes to find Balthazar. Balthazar lies and says he hasn't seen her. However Michael notices that Balthazar is rather cold when he mentions Steff. He wonders what happened in Hell, but doesn't ask feeling the anger exuding from him. Michael then flies back down to Hell.

"So what did he say?" Lucifer asks running his hand through his hair trying to calm himself.

"He said that he hasn't seen her." Michael says and turns to see Lucifer groan.

"Xaphan, go ask Crowley where they were." Lucifer orders and Xaphan nods then flies off to Crowley. It takes Xaphan a few minutes, but he comes back.

"Crowley said about forty miles from here near the base of the mountains." Xaphan tells him.

"Let's go." Lucifer says as he, Michael, and Xaphan fly to where Crowley said. They begin searching the area for Steff.

"STEFF!" Michael shouts, but they hear no response.

"STEFF!" Lucifer tries for a second time at first they hear nothing, but after a minute they hear a sound.

"Luci." Steff calls out weakly from behind a rock formation. They rush over to her, and when they get there Lucifer notices her state. Steff has dried blood on her side, face, and wings. Her wings were scorched with large bite wounds and to be honest she looked like hell.

"Steff are you alright?" Lucifer asks as he picks her up off the ground.

"Not… really." Steff answers as her eyes roll back.

"Steff, stay with me."

"Sure Luci… always." Steff vows as she fades into unconsciousness in Lucifer's arms. Lucifer tries to heal her, but can't.

"Dammit!"

"What?" Michael asks in confusion seeing his brother's frustration.

"She still has a barrier up, I can't heal her if she won't release it." Lucifer says in frustration. Michael approaches his brother and puts his hand on Steff's forehead then he pushes his powers into Steff. He notices that he can't heal her either.

"We need to get this down."

"I know, but what can we do? Neither you nor I have the power to do it. Cas might be able to, or Father." Lucifer says as he looks to his eldest brother for answers. Michael just bites his lip trying to think of a good solution but can't, at least not one where Steff lives if they don't get that barrier down pronto.

"Take her to Bobby's, put her in the panic room, and then clean the wounds. I will try and…." Michael trails off as he looks up at his brother. Seeing a look of dependency that Michael had rarely ever seen on Lucifer's face except in cases of panic.

"Try and what?" Lucifer asks looking at his brother with a trace of panic in his eyes. This look reminds Michael of when he had to cast Lucifer down. Michael just closes his eyes, and wills the tears not to form.

"It'll be okay Luc, I will fix this." Michael vows to Lucifer as he flies to Heaven in search of help, while Lucifer flies to Bobby's and puts her in the panic room.

Bobby's House

Lucifer lays Steff on the bed then goes upstairs to the kitchen getting a rag and a bucket of hot water. He expects some kind of response, but being as it's about eight pm he figures Bobby, Sam, and Dean are at some bar. Lucifer walks back downstairs to find Steff curled up with her wings changed to a pale blue instead of black.

"Steff?" Lucifer tries, but hears nothing other than her having trouble breathing. He just rubs her back soothingly and takes off her clothes, which have crusted to her with all the blood, sweat, and dirt. Once the clothes are removed he takes the rag then dips it into the water and begins to get the crusted dirt, and blood off his mate's body. He tries to be as gentle as possible, but when he gets to her wings he has to scrub some of the feathers to remove the residue. Lucifer grimaces when he hears Steff whimper at his touch.

"Shh, Sweetheart it'll be okay… almost done." Lucifer whispers to her as he finishes up with her wings. Then Lucifer looks at the gash in her side. Lucifer just grits his teeth as he stitches it closed, tearing up as he hears the hurt whimpers coming from Steff. After he stitches it closed he then puts her in one of Sam's shirts that he finds down there. Simply because it would be more comfortable then one of her own, and he doesn't want to leave her to get one of his. Once he cleans up the water and rag Lucifer lays down next to her. Steff unconsciously curls toward him, and puts her wings loosely around him. Lucifer just smiles as he pulls her as close as he can without further injuring her, and he just falls asleep next to her.

Three hours later

Bobby and the boys come back from the bar at about eleven that night. Bobby and Sam joking about the latest hunt, and when an elderly lady had hit on Dean.

"Sam it's not that funny." Dean says defensively as he gets a glass of water.

"Dean that lady was easily seventy-five…. Did you see Cas' face when she said that?" Sam asks and Dean just grimaces.

"I thought he was going to kill her." Dean says to him as he heads up the stairs to his room with Sam close behind. Bobby just smiles at the brothers as he goes down to the basement to grab a mythology book. When he passes the panic room he notices the light inside is on, thinking nothing of it he opens the door. Only to find Lucifer holding Steff with the both of them snoring quietly. Bobby is about to call out, but he notices the bloody clothing on the floor and the wounds on Steff's body. He just turns off the light and pulls the door shut again as he gets his book then goes upstairs. Bobby puts the book on his desk and decides to call it a night. So he heads up to his own bed falling asleep like the rest of the houses inhabitants.

Next morning

10 a.m.

Bobby awoke the next morning and went to check the panic room to see if what he had saw last night actually happened. When he gets down there he sees that Lucifer is indeed holding Steff in the room both still sleeping peacefully. Bobby just sighs as he walks back upstairs then grabs some bread and puts it in the toaster. A few more minutes pass and the toast pops up. Right as it finishes Dean wanders in making himself a cup of coffee.

"Hey how's your sister been Dean?" Bobby asks wondering if he's familiar with the situation.

"Umm… I couldn't tell you. I haven't seen her since she spent the most of the night here last week." Dean answers as he takes a drink, he's about to ask why but Sam walks in.

"Morning."

"Morning Sam, hey do you know where Steff is?" Dean asks him only to see Sam shrug.

"Hell I suppose, why?"

"Oh." Bobby says and both of the brothers turn to him.

"What?" Dean asks warily remembering the panic in Cas' face when Steff had sent him back here. Bobby hesitates for a moment thinking 'maybe I should…'

"Bobby will you just tell us already." Sam says as he stretches his muscles out.

"It seems that Steff is in the panic room with Lucifer. They must have shown up last night while we were out. By the amount of blood on the floor and the bed I'm judging she is hurt." Bobby tells them and Dean stops mid drink.

"How bad are we talking Bobby?" Dean asks him putting his mug down slowly.

"I don't know."

"Oh." Both Sam and Dean verbalize not really sure what else can be said.

"She is stabilized for now." Lucifer says quietly as he walks up from the basement.

"How bad?" Sam asks quietly.

"Pretty bad, her soul needs to recharge but she put up a barrier that won't allow anyone to help; not even for the outside wounds at least." Lucifer explains to them.

"But why did her soul get so damaged?" Dean asks in confusion.

"During the battle in Hell she was healing any of the fallen or demons helping who were injured. Plus fighting and using all of her powers to try and save everyone…. And to her credit she saved just about everyone. By the time it was over she had collapsed after saving Crowley and another demon from a pack of Hellhounds." Lucifer tells them and watches as they shake their heads in disappointment.

"This is just like the damn polar bear." Dean curses.

"Huh?" Lucifer asks not seeing the resemblance.

"I mean that she should have known her limits, and not put up the barrier." Dean clarifies to Lucifer.

"She was…."

"What was she doing Lucifer? Tell me what was she doing that was worth her life?" Sam demands getting angry.

"I was doing my job Sam…. The one I…." Steff starts as she comes up from the panic room, but trails off as she slides down the wall.

"Steff!" Lucifer says as he picks her up, and puts her on the living room couch.

"I'm fine Luci, just tired…. Michael just came by and helped me take down the barrier… sorry about that." Steff tells him as she leans on the armrest of the couch. Lucifer sits down next to her, and she switches so she is laying her head on his thigh. He begins to absent-mindedly stroke her hair.

"It's okay, just…" Lucifer starts, but notices how she has begun to snore softly from his thigh. He just grabs the blanket from the back of the couch and lays it on her.

"Did she just fall back asleep?" Dean asks quietly as they walk in from the kitchen.

"Yes Dean she did, and she will for the next couple weeks depending on how much she uses her powers." Cas answers him as he appears next to Dean.

"So should we go house arrest for awhile?" Dean asks his angel.

"Probably, but it won't last more than a day before she figures out how to break it." Cas points out to him all of them remembering the cuff Sam had tried to put on her.

"I might be able to block it for awhile." Lucifer suggests as he looks down at Steff with worry.

"How much of it?" Sam asks worried about how dangerous it will be for her to be without powers.

"She would still have her wings, and the ability to control fire. But I could stop the weather part." Lucifer says to them.

"Do it." Dean orders quickly.

"You guys sure?" Lucifer asks making sure this is what they want.

"We can watch her." Sam assures him. Lucifer just nods and puts a barrier on the powers, but only enough to allow her soul less strain so it can heal itself properly. Once Lucifer is done they wait for Steff to wake up and start yelling, but she doesn't even stir from her sleep.

"So what now?" Dean asks curiously.

"Well her soul will heal on it's own, and once it is healed enough the barrier will disappear on it's own." Lucifer tells them as he strokes Steff's hair softly.

"Okay, well what about the wounds." Dean implores.

"I will heal them." Cas says as he places a hand on her side. He heals all of the wounds including the scorches on her wings and the gash on her side.

"Thanks Cas."

"No problem Lucifer, technically I am still her guardian angel." Cas says to him as he turns into a cat and curls up next to Steff. She just sighs and pulls the cat towards her unconsciously.

"Cas." Steff mumbles in her sleep. Cas just smiles as he starts to purr next to her.

"Seriously Cas." Dean says a little jealous that Steff was cuddling with his boyfriend.

"Dean you know I love you."

"You better." Dean huffs out as he goes upstairs to take a shower. Sam just shakes his head at his jealous brother. He can't help but notice that his angel isn't present.

"Sammy!" Gabriel shouts excitedly as he shows up.

"Gabe quiet." Sam scolds him as he gets pulled into a hug.

"Why? You guys realize she can't hear us right?"

"What?"

"Sam she is in a very deep sleep induced by some kind of sedative…. Smells like Michael's work." Gabriel says as he walks over to Steff. Cas jumps off her and wanders up to the shower to find Dean.

"Michael?" Lucifer says wondering what his brother did.

"Yeah… I think he drugged her after he lowered the barrier…. Yup I was right." Gabriel says after he looks through her mind. He then shows Lucifer.

"That explains why she slept as I put a barrier around her soul."

"Yep, now Sammy what do you want to do today?"

"Gabe I think I should stay here for now."

"Sam she won't wake up for a few hours. Come on let's go somewhere." Gabriel pleads with him, "Sam, Dean is here she'll be fine without you."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"Okay let's go." Sam agrees hesitantly. They both disappear leaving Lucifer and Bobby alone in the room with Steff. Bobby just sighs and goes over to his desk then begins to man the phones.

An Hour Later

"Bobby I need to leave." Lucifer says regretfully after sitting there quietly for about an hour.

"That's fine just leave her there, we can move her later." Bobby tells him and Lucifer just gets up slowly putting a pillow under her head in place of his thigh.

"Goodbye, Sweetheart."

"Luci." Steff mumbles out and Lucifer just pets her wings then disappears back to Hell to do his job again.


	42. House Arrest and Hell Hounds

Six hours later

When Steff finally manages to reach consciousness again. She notices that she is on the couch in the living room still, but no Lucifer.

"Lucifer?" Steff says quietly, but her voice comes out rough. She figures it was from dehydration so she attempts to stand up, but just falls forward landing on the floor breaking the coffee table. Dean hears the crash and comes up from the basement to find Steff lying in the living room with glass and wood sticking in her midsection and blood on the floor.

"Steff!" Dean shouts in panic as he helps her up out of the wreckage, picking pieces of glass from her hair.

"Sorry I was…"

"It's fine we can get Bobby a new one later."

"Dean I really didn't…"

"Steff I said it was fine, now just sit on the damn couch while I go get a broom." Dean orders her and Steff just nods as she sits on the couch quietly. She then begins to pull the glass and splinters of wood from her midsection. Steff manages to get all of it out and throws it into the pile. She then uses her powers to close the wounds, but it leaves her breathing hard from exertion. Steff just sits there in confusion, but figures it's from her recent fight. When Dean gets back he notices Steff breathing hard, and realizes she must have healed herself.

"Here let me help." Steff offers as she stands up, but just wobbles and Dean pushes her back down onto the couch gently.

"Sit." Dean orders coldly as he cleans up the mess then puts the broken wood and glass in the garbage can. When he comes back he notices a thin line of sweat forming on Steff's forehead, and she is breathing even harder than before. He also notices that a new coffee table has appeared.

"I… got a … new… one." Steff manages to choke out in between breaths.

"Steff you need to rest your body can't keep this up." Dean warns her and she just looks at him with a confused gaze.

"Dean… I'm fine…" Steff says as she slowly regains her breath.

"I don't think so Steff. You sound like you smoke seven packs a day, maybe you should just rest for a few weeks… you could come with Sammy and I on the next hunt." Dean says trying to persuade her without telling her directly about the barrier. Steff just sits there on the couch trying to decide between staying and going.

"I… uhh…."

"Steff come on it will be for old times sake." Dean urges her.

"Dean I don't know… What if Lucifer needs me?" Steff says, but she knows that was a weak excuse. Dean just gives her a skeptical look.

"Really cause last time you were in Hell you almost died saving what was it again… Oh yeah demons… Demons for god's sake… the things we hunt and the things that we taught you to hunt!" Dean shouts at her getting angry. Steff can hardly believe what she is hearing from Dean, and with anger providing her some energy. She snaps some clothes on then storms out the door and slams it closed behind her. Dean just sighs and rubs his eyes, "Why is she always so difficult?" When Sam and Bobby pull up into the junkyard they hear Dean yelling followed by the slamming of the front door. As they get nearer to the house they see Steff storming off into the woods. Bobby and Sam go inside to find Dean muttering something in frustration.

"What happened?" Sam asks curiously, wondering what those two could possibly be fighting about now.

"Is that a new table?" Bobby asks cause he is sure that isn't his normal one.

"Yeah Bobby, Steff broke the other one." Dean answers as he walks upstairs away from them.

"I'm confused." Sam states to Bobby who also just stands there with a confused look.

"Idjits." Bobby says with a sigh and goes back outside to go fix a car. Sam just goes over to the desk and opens his laptop looking for a new case.

Outside

Steff storms into the forest furious at what Dean just said. Sure he had a point about saving demons, but not all of them were evil. A few of them at least acted like they had some form of humanity left. Bahzemet was a perfect example of that. He's a demon, but he's one of the nicer ones. Sure he was ruthless in battle and was a very sadistic person sometimes, but hell so was she. She just can't believe that Dean would stereotype all demons like that. He seemed to forget that even demons had, had souls at one point and they knew what pain felt like… or that they were people once too.

"He is just so one-sided!" Steff shouts into the forest as she wanders through it. She never even notices the approaching demons.

"Who?" One of the demons asks nosily as he and another demon walk up to Steff.

"My…. Wait who are you?" Steff asks as she turns around to face the unfamiliar demons.

"Names Pyro, demon of falsehood and you my lovely angel are…"

"Steff and who's your buddy?"

"Sorry names Pytho demon of music. Older brother to the ever vivacious Pyro." Pytho answers with a tired tone.

"Well it's nice to meet both of you, but I'm kind of doing some soul searching here. So if you don't mind…" Steff hints at, but the brothers just stay put.

"Oh I love soul searching, Pytho play us some music!" Pyro says excitedly and Pytho just glares at him.

"Pyro come on let's go, she is obviously busy." Pytho urges as he begins to drag Pyro away.

"Pytho wait! What did you say your name was again Angel?"

"Steff."

"Pytho this is the angel I was telling you about, the one who saved me and Crowley." Pyro exclaims as he pulls away from Pytho and back over to Steff.

"That was you?" Steff says trying to remember and she does seem to recall something about his tone of voice.

"Yeah, I was the one cowering behind Crowley."

"Oh yeah, I remember you…. Yeah you ran off right after I saved you guys said something about your older brother… I'm assuming you went to find him." Steff says as she shakes her wings out.

"Yeah I found him after you saved me." Pyro tells her.

"Thanks for saving him, Steff. He is a terrible fighter." Pytho says to her gratefully.

"You know I'm a lover not a fighter Pytho." Pyro says defensively. Steff just listens to the demon brothers argue back and forth. After a couple minutes she begins to walk away, but the demons just follow her.

"Okay what's the deal?" Steff asks with a confounded sigh.

"Nothing, why would you say that Steff. We're just going that way too." Pyro says to her.

"Do I look dumb Pyro?"

"No." Pyro mumbles quietly.

"That's what I thought too… So can you explain to me why the demon of falsehoods is trying to lie to me?"

"Umm…."

"She's good." Pytho admits with a small laugh watching his brother's mouth just open and close as he attempts to think of a good lie.

"Did Lucifer send you?" Steff asks.

"No, we were actually just passing through and I felt the presence of the angel who saved me… so I thought I should thank you in person." Pyro admits to her. Steff just nods her head in acknowledgement, and goes back to walking away. The demons however keep following her. Steff just sighs and continues deeper into the forest until she comes to the lake in the middle. She just goes over to the water and uses her powers to warm the water closest to the shore. When she finishes she notices how tired she is, and that isn't normal for her. So Steff does a mental check of her body, only to notice that there is a barrier around her soul that inhibits her from using her powers to its fullest. She continues digging and pushing against the barrier; using the little power she has left to tap into it. The demons notice the angel struggling and breathing hard so they walk to the shore where Steff is sitting in the water.

"Steff are you okay?" Pytho asks in concern for her safety.

"I'm fin…" Steff trails off as she passes out from pushing to deep.

"Steff… Steff stay with me here, Pyro get over here." Pytho orders as he picks her up, and carries her bridal style.

"Pytho what are we gonna do?" He asks his brother worriedly while looking to the angel in his brother's arms.

"We'll take her back to Hell with us; she can rest up at our house." Pytho tells Pyro as he teleports them back to the house.

Meanwhile at Bobby's house

Sam begins to worry when Steff doesn't show up that night, but doesn't bother voicing his opinion because of the way Dean glares at that coffee table. Like it's the bane of his existence, however he decides the next morning he wants some answers.

"Dean if you stare a little harder at it, it might blow up." Sam comments sarcastically.

"Shut up Sam. Don't you have an angel to make out with?" Dean grumbles as he leaves the room going outside. Bobby walks into the room with a beer.

"What's his issue?"

"No clue, but I think it has something to do with this coffee table, Steff, and something else."

"Oh."

"We could get him drunk, he might tell us then."

"Sam we are not getting your brother drunk." Bobby states with clear refusal.

"Fine, but I don't think we'll know the problem until one of them tells us." Sam points out. Bobby just shrugs and goes into the kitchen to make a sandwich. Sam just sighs then heads out the front door and around to the garage to find Dean changing the oil on the Impala. Dean hears Sam walking over, but he doesn't even acknowledge his brother. Just keeps doing what he is doing. Sam stands there for about five minutes before he gets tired of being ignored.

"Speak." Sam says to him, but Dean just glares at him. Sam just groans as he watches Dean go back to working in silence. "Do you want help Dean?" Sam asks him.

"Sam do you even know what I'm doing right now?" Dean asks as he gives Sam a skeptical look.

"No, but I can learn." Sam admits as he walks over to the Impala and Dean just chuckles.

'At least he's talking now.' Sam thinks to himself.

"Sam why are you here?"

"Because I wanted to learn about cars." Sam lies and Dean just gives him another skeptical glance.

"Don't lie to me Sammy." Dean says in his dad voice. Sam just shifts his weight from leg to leg and bites his lip.

"Why were you yelling earlier? Where is Steff and why is there a new coffee table?" Sam asks and watches as the muscles in Dean's back stiffen, as he closes a valve then shuts the hood.

"I was yelling because we were arguing, and the coffee table is new because Steff fell into the other one then created a new one to replace it. As for her whereabouts I have no idea, haven't seen her since you guys got back." Dean tells Sam. Sam just nods his head, and hands Dean a rag for his hands.

"What were you arguing about?"

"Demons." Dean mutters out.

"What about demons Dean?"

"Sam is it really that important?"

"Don't answer my question with a question Dean, that shit is annoying as hell." Sam says to him getting a little angry.

"Sam we were arguing about how she was saving demons in Hell, other than Crowley or Bahzemet." Dean admits to him.

"So…. You're mad at her for doing her job."

"She was a hunter first. So technically her job is to kill evil, and last time I checked Sam demons are evil." Dean points out to Sam.

"Dean she used to rule Hell, her first job then was to protect the demons and keep Hell in order. Now since she failed at that she had to do something, and you know she couldn't just let the good demons die with the bad. And besides it's her life Dean, if she wants to be evil then… we are kinda powerless to stop it, especially if you keep driving a wedge between you two." Sam explains to Dean in frustration.

"There is no way in hell am I letting her turn evil… I won't let it happen Sammy even if I have to sell my soul again… I won't let it happen!" Dean vows to Sam. Sam just nods his head.

"Well how about you stop pushing her away for awhile, and see how that works before you sell your soul eh?"

"Sure, I suppose I could try that… Is she back yet?" Dean asks feeling his anger subside after talking to Sam.

"No, you wanna go look for her?"

"I think that might be best given her weakened state." Dean says as they head out into the woods. They follow the trail of her footsteps and notice that two other pairs of footsteps join them. However once they get to the lake they notice how all of the footsteps stop by the shoreline.

"Dean you don't think that…"

"Sam that is exactly what I think… Cas!" Dean shouts into the air.

"Yeah Dean?" Cas asks as he shows up next to him.

"Cas can you find Steff for us?" Dean asks him

"Sure… actually no I can't." Cas says while he furrows his brow in confusion.

"Why not?"

"It seems that there is the barrier around her soul that Lucifer put up, but then there is another one that stops anyone from tracking her position." Cas explains to them.

"So basically she is gone again."

"Yeah especially until her soul heals. Has she been relaxing like I told you she should?" Cas asks him.

"Uhh… about that."

"Dean you know if she pushes herself to far and one of us aren't around to heal her she will die." Cas tells him.

"So what do we do Cas? There are no cameras around here, no type of surveillance, no nothing." Dean points out to him as he gestures to the wilderness around them.

"I got nothing Dean, now I need to leave… one of my charges just got hit by a bus… just figure it out." Cas says with a tired sigh. Dean just walks over to him and gives him a hug.

"I love you, Feathers." Dean says lovingly.

"Yeah I bet you do… now go find your sister." Cas says as he returns the hug with a quick kiss.

"Alright enough you two let's go find her before she dies or something worse." Sam says to him as Dean pulls away from Cas.

"Good luck, if you need help try Balthazar." Cas tells them as he disappears again. Dean and Sam just nod then head back to the house in search of the ingredients for the summoning spell for Balthazar.

"You idjits sure about summoning him?" Bobby asks wary of calling a scorned angel into his house, especially to find the person who scorned him. Lucifer had explained to them about her and Balthazar after he looked through her memories.

"Lucifer is busy and probably will just yell at us cause we lost her… Plus if I know Balthazar at all I know he will help her even after this." Dean assures Bobby as he puts the ingredients together and says the spell. Nothing happens for a few minutes, but eventually Balthazar shows up.

"Oh joy, the Winchesters." Balthazar says sarcastically as he shows up.

"Balthazar are you drunk?" Sam asks smelling the liquor from a few feet away.

"Yes Samuel I am, now what can I do for you boys?" Balthazar slurs out.

"Balthazar we need your help, our sister has…" Dean starts, but is cut off by Balthazar.

"Dean I could care less about your sister, and whatever problem she got herself into."

"Really?" Dean asks looking at Balthazar skeptically.

"Yes really."

"Well if that's the case then why are you drinking so heavily?"

"Because I am an angel of revelry and in order to get drunk enough to forget your sis…"

"I thought you didn't care about her."

"I don't…"

"Balthazar we need your help." Sam pleads with him. Balthazar just stands there thinking, trying to decide if he should help them.

"Fucking hell!" Balthazar curses realizing that deep down in his heart that he has to help them find her.

"So you in?" Dean asks triumphantly.

"Yes, but I do this because I… because it's part of being a guardian angel not because of her." Balthazar tells them and the men just nod. So begins the long process of Balthazar using his powers to track her.

Eight hours later

Steff

When Steff awakes she is no longer on Earth, but rather in Hell. The only reason she knows that is because of the large, snow white Hellhound sleeping next to her on the large bed.

'Where am I?' Steff mentally asks the hound.

'Home.'

'Whose?'

'Master Pyro's and Master Pytho's.'

'Oh… what's your name?'

'They call me Faith and you are?'

'Steff an angel of Hell, Lucifer's mate; where am I in Hell?'

'Near Crowley and Spartan's house.' Faith answers, (Spartan is Crowley's other hound).

"Oh, well thank you for the information. I will just be going now." Steff says aloud as she pets the Hellhound on the head gently. She goes to get up, but the hound growls at her when she tries to move.

'Faith what's wrong?'

'Danger, stay here I will check it out.' Faith tells her as the hound gets off the bed and trots out through the doorway. Steff waits for her to come back, but instead she hears snarling, followed by whimpering, then nothing except footsteps coming towards her. Thinking quickly she turns into a cat and hides under the bed, slowing her breathing till she makes no audible sound. At first the footsteps just pass by, but then they come back around and enter the room. Steff tries to fly away but can't either because she is to tired or because of a sigil or something else, but she doesn't really have too much time to dwell on it.

"Balthazar." Steff utters as the demons look under the bed.

"There you are kitten, now come here."

"No get away from me, you bastard." Steff says as she claws at the hands reaching for her. The demon just laughs as he picks her up.

"What no grand display of powers?" It says to her as it throws her roughly against the wall.

"I don't need powers to defeat your pathetic selves." Steff grunts out as she turns back into a person.

"I bet you don't." The demon sneers as it pulls out a knife and comes at her. Steff just dodges and draws her ebony knife then goes on the offensive. The demon and her go back and forth for about a half an hour. Now normally this would be now problem for Steff, but with all the recent injuries and performing the change. She finds that she just doesn't have the energy to keep going. So she makes one last desperate attempt to kill it, but it fails… miserably. It ends with her pinned beneath the demon with a knife to her throat.

"Now be a good little angel and d…" The demon starts, but is cut off by the blade stuck through his heart killing him. Its body just goes lax and falls onto Steff; she pushes it to the side. To see that Balthazar is standing over her with his gray wings flared out, and blood on his midsection.

"Balthazar?"

"Who else did you expect?" He asks with a smirk and he offers a hand for her, she takes it then gets up. She tries to walk off, but wobbles and is about to fall until Balthazar grabs her by the waist and pulls her close to him.

"Thanks Balth." Steff says gratefully as she revels in his embrace.

"Feels like old times doesn't it." Balthazar says as he pulls her into his embrace wrapping her in his wings.

"Yeah… it does, doesn't it?" Steff agrees with him as she just enjoys being held by him again.

"Are you okay?" He asks her after a couple minutes.

"Well now that you're here to save me, yeah I'm fine." Steff says with a smile, one of the biggest she has worn in a long time.

"Good."

"Balthy?"

"Hmm."

"You were right."

"About what?"

"Everything, I love you and I wish I would have said yes to you… Also I love the immaturity about you it makes me feel like a kid sometimes and it's fun… but he made me and I love him because he is part of me and he always will be…. Though if you're still willing I will bond with you." Steff offers to him, hoping he will accept the little she offers him knowing that it's not much.

"Steff I have waited for you to admit that for so long, and I will gladly bond with you… these last few days have been hell not knowing if you're okay or where you're at… I'm sorry I left you like that." Balthazar answers as Steff touches her wings to his and the bands form on them. However what's different about them is that they form around their pinky fingers.

"What does that mean Balthazar?"

"I have no idea, but who cares." Balthazar lies quickly as he hugs her.

"Good point now come with me I need your help." Steff says as she walks toward the body of the fallen Hellhound. She pushes her power into the lifeless body bringing it back to life. Faith instantly runs outside with Steff and Balthazar right behind her. When Steff finds Faith she is sitting with her head on Pyro's thigh whimpering mournfully. She puts her hand on Pyro's shoulder, and brings the life back into him. He awakes slowly with Faith licking his face.

"Faith stop it." Pyro says with a laugh when he notices Steff sitting next to him.

"Pyro where is Pytho?" Steff asks as she tries to maintain slow steady breaths. Balthazar just sits next to her pushing some healing power into her to help, but she just cringes when he does that. "Balth stop!" He immediately stops and just stands next to her.

"Pytho was… over there!" Pyro says as he gets up and runs to his older brother who is still alive barely, sitting next to his fallen Hellhound Adagio. Steff rushes over to him and heals him then his Hellhound.

"Steff are you alright?" Pytho asks knowing that healing him and bringing others back to life was no walk in the park.

"I… will be… fine." Steff says in between breaths.

"Steff I don't know how to thank you enough for all that you've done…. Just thank you." Pytho says with his tone full of reverence.

"No problem." Steff says as she leans heavily onto Balthazar, "Can you take me to the panic room?"

"Of course Darling." Balthazar says lovingly as he transports her to the panic room.

Bobby's house

Balthazar puts her on the bed then helps her take off her clothes, and put on the large shirt that she had been sleeping in lately. He then helps her lay down on the bed, but as he goes to leave she grabs his hand.

"Stay." Steff pleads and Balthazar just smiles as he lies next to her. He smiles as she snuggles into him; he wraps his wings around her.

"I love you." Balthazar whispers to her as he relaxes next to her.

"I love you too." Steff whispers back as she drifts into sleep, smiling into Balthazar's chest. Balthazar can't help but smile back at her the way she begins to snore softly reminding him of how a kitten snores.

An hour later

After Balthazar is sure she is asleep he walks upstairs to see Sam, Dean, and Bobby waiting in the living room. Balthazar walks into the living room, and sits on the couch.

"So where is she?" Dean asks breaking the silence.

"In the panic room resting. Apparently she has discovered the barrier and exhausted herself trying to find a way to break it… So some demons that she knew took her back to their place so she'd be safe, but as it turns out. Other demons wanted to kill her… I killed the demon who was about to kill her, but she has used most of her strength to bring two Hellhounds back to life and a demon too, then she healed another demon." Balthazar explains to them and Dean just groans in frustration.

"See this is exactly what I'm talking about. She is a hunter, she should be killing them not bringing them back to life." Dean says to them angrily.

"Dean she only brought them back because they had gotten hurt protecting her." Balthazar says defending her actions.

"Dean didn't we just talk about this like nine hours ago? Seriously have an open mind for once in your life." Sam scolds his brother in frustration.

"Dean-o be open minded, Sammy I think you asking a little much of him." Gabriel interjects as he appears next to Sam.

"Dean can be open minded sometimes Gabriel." Cas says defending his lover.

"Who asked for your guys opinions?" Balthazar asks as he flaps his wings shaking some of the ash out of them.

"Balthazar…. You didn't, did you?" Gabriel asks as he walks over to his rebellious brother and he can feel the new bond on him.

"Do what Gabriel?" Balthazar asks playing dumb.

"Balthazar you know what I'm talking about. I can see it on your damn finger for christs sake." Gabriel yells and the rest of the group still stares at them in confusion.

"He never learns does he?" Michael scolds since he could feel the bond's strength from Heaven and came to check it out.

"It's her life… if she wants it then I won't be the one to deny her." Balthazar says defensively as he puffs his wings out trying to look threatening.

"Oh don't puff your wings at me Balthazar, you just wait till Lucifer feels it." Gabriel warns as he meets Balthazar's challenge. "Don't forget you're just a guardian angel brother and he's an archangel."

"I won't." Balthazar says as he narrows his eyes at Gabriel.

"Alright you two, Gabe come on we got a day to spend together." Sam says as he drags his angel outside and away from Balthazar. Michael just watches Balthazar carefully eyeing his brother warily.

"You realize this is going to be bad for both of you right?" Michael says to him.

"Not if he doesn't know."

"How do you plan to hide this Balthazar? If I could feel it in my heaven, then what makes you think he can't feel it in Hell?" Michael asks frustrated that his brother never thinks things through just acts.

"Well… uh…"

"Exactly, so how do you plan to protect her from his wrath… hmm?"

"I'll just take her to my heaven for a while."

"You realize that will last for maybe an hour before she gets restless and tries to leave."

"Maybe… I could tell her about who put the barrier on her soul, and she might be angry enough to stay with me long enough for Lucifer to calm down." Balthazar suggests, and Michael just shakes his head in disappointment.

"How many times do you have to do this Balthazar before you realize it's wrong?"

"It's not wrong Michael, she loves me and I love her… Plus the imprints on our fingers just prove my point. If she didn't love me as much as I love her then it wouldn't have happened." Balthazar points out to Michael and then storms up to Heaven.

"Michael what is going on?" Dean asks confused by this entire conversation.

"Dean, to put it plainly Balthazar has challenged Lucifer's love of Steff. He means to try and take her from him." Michael tells Dean and he just looks at him with confusion.

"But she won't…"

"Maybe not, but if she does it will be very bad for Balthazar, especially because he doesn't have the strength to contend with Lucifer… A guardian angel is no match for a pissed off archangel, and I fear for Steff's safety because if a fight breaks out she may try to intervene… in her weakened state she may very well die." Michael explains gravely to Dean and Cas.

"Cas put her in the Impala and put a hex bag so angels can't find her. I'll go pack our stuff and we can be on the road in twenty." Dean says and Cas just nods then goes downstairs to get Steff.

Outside at the Impala

"Dean I will hold Lucifer and Balthazar off as long as I can to give you guys time." Michael says to him as he helps Dean pack the bags into the Impala.

"Thanks Michael."

"No problem. What kind of guardian would I be if I didn't help."

"Good point, now where is Cas?"

"There he is." Michael says as he points to Cas walking out with Steff wrapped in a blanket in his arms, while he finishes putting duffles in the trunk then closes it.

"Alright, Cas can you put her in the back please?" Dean asks as he gets in the driver's seat. Cas opens the back door and puts Steff on the seat then sits there with her so she can use his leg as a pillow.

"Dean I'm not sure how long we can keep her here." Cas says to Dean worriedly as he places the hex bags in the car under the back seat.

"Cas we will keep her here as long as we can…. I need to keep her safe." Dean vows to Cas and he just shakes his head in agreement.

"But…"

"No buts Cas, I need to… I just have to." Dean tells Cas.

"We will Dean, we will." Cas assures Dean as they drive off into the night.


	43. Confusion, weakened states, and Tactical Fleeing

Next morning

9am

When Steff awakes she notices that she is no longer in the panic room, but rather lying in the back seat of the Impala with her head on Cas' thigh. She notices that Cas is fast asleep with his hand on her upper left wing. Steff gingerly moves his hand so it's resting on his lap, and then she sits up only to notice that Dean is sleeping with his feet up on the passenger seat. She snaps some clothes on herself then gets out of the car quietly, as to not wake the others. Steff looks around outside the car to see that they are parked in a Walmart parking lot. She just looks around with confusion wondering why they're here instead of Bobby's house or even a motel. Steff wants to ask Dean, but decides against it in case he and Cas try to stop her. So she decides to go into the store and get something for breakfast. Inside the store she slowly wanders the aisles trying to think of a reason for them to leave and without Sam at that. When Steff finally finds the pre-made cinnamon rolls she grabs them, and three bottles of orange juice. She goes to the check out and pays for the food then walks back out into the parking lot. When she reaches the Impala she sees that Dean and Cas are still asleep; so she sits down on the hood eating her breakfast waiting for them to wake, while enjoying the bright morning sunshine. Steff even turns her wings black so they can absorb the warmth…. Eventually Dean and Cas wake up a few hours later. When Dean wakes he notices Steff isn't in the back seat anymore.

"Cas wake up!"

"What Dean?" Cas mumbles groggily as he wakes up slowly.

"Cas she's gone."

"Dean chill, I'm out here." Steff says from on top of the hood. Dean just let's out a long sigh then exits the car and joins her on the hood.

"I'm going back to sleep." Cas mutters as he pulls the blanket over himself. Dean just smiles at his angel.

"Sorry about that Cas."

"It's okay Kitten…" Cas says as he falls back asleep. Steff just shakes her head and laughs at them.

Couple of minutes later

"Kitten?" Steff asks as she hands Dean an orange juice.

"Yeah… well he wanted to call me something, and I don't have the heart to deny him." Dean says with a smile.

"But why Kitten?"

"Well when we first had…uhh you know sex… he umm… well at climax he released his power, and accidentally turned me into a kitten." Dean admits and Steff who had been holding her laughter in can't help it when she busts out laughing. She laughs so hard that she actually rolls off the hood and falls onto the pavement.

"Oh my god that is…"

"Steff stop laughing before I rip some feathers out."

"Chill Dean." Steff says as she gets up and sits on the hood again. "Lucifer calls me Sweetheart because… well to be honest I can't think of the reason. I'm neither sweet nor a heart of something… I feel like better name would be Heartbreaker because it seems whenever I turn around I stomp on his or someone else's heart." Steff admits sadly as she looks over to Dean who is just enjoying his cinnamon roll.

"You give love a bad name." Dean sings out as he swallows the last of roll.

"Shut up Dean." Steff says playfully with a laugh as she shoves him lightly.

"So what's the deal with you and Balthazar?" Dean asks curiously and watches as Steff stiffens slightly at the mention of him.

"What's it to you?"

"Well as your brother…"

"Dean don't give me that brother crap. What is real the reason for this kidnap?"

"This isn't kidnap, this is family bonding time."

"Dean…"

"Steffanie…"

"Dean…"

"Steff…"

"Okay you two that is getting really old, really fast." Cas says as he gets out of the car and walks over to the front of it.

"Who asked you Cas!" They both shout at him and Cas just narrows his eyes at them.

"You two had better watch your tone with me before I decide you would both look cuter as cats." Cas threatens them.

"Oooo scary!" Steff says as she mock shudders, and Dean just glares at his defiant sister. Cas just glares back at them then snaps his fingers and both of them turn into cats.

"Steff you had to go and taunt him didn't you?" Dean growls angrily as he tackles Steff off the hood and they begin fighting on the pavement.

"Well maybe if you would just leave me alone, this wouldn't have happened." Steff spits back at him as she claws his side. Dean just bites her in the shoulder and scratches along her side.

"Maybe if you didn't pick a fight with every living thing that could possibly want to help this wouldn't happen… Why can't you just accept the fact that someone else might be able to help you?" Dean yowls angrily as he pins her down.

"Dean you don't know what you're talking about!" Steff hisses at him as she uses her back legs to kick him off. Then she gets up and tackles him.

"If you had kept your legs shut this never would have happened you disobedient slut, and I wouldn't need to protect you from them!" Dean spits back at her furiously, and watches as Steff jumps off of him. She immediately pulls herself back in hurt and disbelief, shocked that he would say that.

"What do you mean?" Steff asks in hurt, having never heard Dean talk like that to her. She looks up and into his eyes to see if he truly means this… and he does she can see the anger, fury, and disappointment. Steff doesn't show it, but it's tearing her apart on the inside. At this point Cas just stands there in shock, having never heard Dean be so cruel.

"If you hadn't cheated on Lucifer with that stupid, British angel none of this would have happened… I could be chilling with Cas instead of babysitting you!" Dean hisses at her bitterly and she just backs away from him.

"Dean you don't mean that…"

"No I do Steff, I'm tired of having to fix your messes or stop my life to try and fix yours!" Dean shouts at her and she just runs away from him with large tears in her eyes. He instantly regrets it when he sees her face before she darts off.

"Dean why would you say that?" Cas asks in confusion as he frantically looks under cars for Steff.

"Cas I have no clue why I said that it just came out… I… I just couldn't stop." Dean stutters out as he starts searching under the cars too.

"Steff come back he didn't mean it!" Cas shouts while looking under the cars and just glaring harder at Dean.

"Please come back, I'm sorry Angel… I didn't mean it… Please, I was just angry… Steff!" Dean pleads desperately as he crawls under another car cursing his words.

Four hours later

Dean and Cas have searched the entire parking lot five times four hours later. Gabriel and Sam show up to find Dean anxiously pacing by the Impala with Cas just glaring at him.

"What happened?" Sam asks noticing the pair.

"It was an accident… I didn't mean it… we were fighting and I was just so angry… it just slipped out and I couldn't stop." Dean meows frantically as he paces.

"Dean what did you do?" Sam asks him, but Dean just keeps pacing so he turns to Cas for an explanation.

"Sam here I'll show you." Cas says as he places his hand on Sam's head and shows him the morning. Sam just stares at Dean in shock.

"Dean what the hell!" Sam shouts angrily at his brother, who is still pacing.

"Sam I didn't mean to."

"Well you did and now she's gone! Dean you had better hope she is okay or I swear to god I will kill you!" Sam shouts angrily at his brother as he picks him up off the ground, and tosses him onto the seat none to gently.

"Sam…"

"Dean one more word and… I will have Gabriel rip out your vocal chords, and judging by Cas' glare over there I don't think he'll mind." Sam yells spitefully and Dean just crawls under the front seat to hide from all the glares.

Two hours later

Dean begins to whimper quietly after awhile, Gabriel who can't stand to hear him cry picks him up and holds Dean.

"We'll find her Dean-o." Gabriel says soothingly and Cas just glares at his brother.

"I didn't mean…"

"I know, we all say words we regret." Gabriel says as he pets Dean. Dean just relaxes in Gabriel's lap quietly as he let's himself be petted. Sam just glares at his angel with a look that could kill.

"Why are you doing that he deserves to be hurt?" Sam growls at him.

"Samuel if you don't stop that I'm going to turn you into a puppy… He already feels terrible and you're not helping." Gabriel warns his lover who just turns back to the road. Sam begins to grumble and Gabriel is pissed enough so he turns Sam into his puppy form.

"Woof!"

"You don't get vocal chords until you can say something nice." Gabriel tells him as he slides into the driver's seat and continues driving.

"Woofity, woof, woof!"

"You finished Samuel?" Gabriel asks and Sam nods his head Gabriel snaps his fingers.

"Thank you." Sam says grumpily as he settles onto the passenger seat.

"You're welcome, now where are we going?"

"Well we could try the angels." Sam suggests and he just glares at his brother.

"No none of them will know where she is… I put a hex bag and it hides her location from all of us." Cas tells him from the back seat still pissed at Dean. Dean just sinks lower into Gabriel's lap in an attempt to hide from Cas' glare, and just to make matters worse Lucifer shows up.

"Are you guys doing like a beastiality thing here or something?" Lucifer asks with a smirk as he appears on the back seat next to Cas, noticing the brothers in animal form.

"No." Cas tells him quickly as he narrows his eyes at Lucifer in anger.

"Cas what's with the death stare I haven't even done anything yet?"

"Oh but you will when you see what Dean did… Then I'll have to save him from you, and he had better hope I feel like it."

"Cas…"

"Say it and I will kill you myself."

"Castiel please this isn't helping." Gabriel pleads with him as Dean crawls off his lap, and under the seat trying to hide from Cas.

"Call me when you aren't such an asshole Dean." Cas mutters as he disappears from the seat and Gabriel assumes he is going to Heaven. Lucifer just stares in mild shock having never seen Cas get that angry about anything.

"Dean what did you do?" Lucifer asks warily and Dean just whimpers quietly under the seat.

"It was an accident… It all just came out and I couldn't stop it."

"Lucifer look through my thoughts." Sam says and Lucifer puts a hand on his furry head. He just curses when he watches the scene between Dean and Steff.

"Dean what the hell!"

"I told you it was an accident."

"For the love of father… I'm going to kill you!" Lucifer shouts as he turns into a cat, and begins to drag Dean out from under the seat. Dean just balks and Sam begins to growl.

"ENOUGH!" Gabriel shouts as he pulls the Impala over, and uses his power to stop everyone from moving.

"Gabe?"

"Shut up Sam! You are going to get out from under the seat and sit next to Sam." Gabriel shouts angrily as he points at Dean, who just slinks out and sits next to Sam on the passenger's seat.

"Okay." Dean mews out quietly, frightened by this side of Gabriel.

"You are going to sit on the seat back there Lucifer, and shut up… Father help me if I have to pull this car over again." Gabriel orders angrily and Lucifer just obeys crawling back up onto the back seat quietly.

"Fine." Lucifer huffs out as he glares at Dean. Sam seeing Lucifer's glare begins to glare at Dean too and Gabriel just keeps driving.

Six hours later

Dean who is now getting tired of these silent glares just glares back at them; Gabriel just ignores them as he continues driving to the nearest motel. Once he gets there he checks out a room and the animals follow him. Dean is nearly hiding behind Gabriel as he walks next to him. When they all get into the room Sam decides enough is enough and glaring at Dean won't fix this; so he just stops as he lies on a bed. Dean notices that his glare has stopped, and perks his ears up as he approaches Sam then begins to rub himself on his brother.

"I'm still pissed at you." Sam mutters as he lays his head on his paws.

"Good boy Sammy." Dean purrs out as he settles at Sam's side and Sam just wags his tail reflexively.

"Dean stop it, you know I can't stop that thing when you say that."

"Who's a good boy Sam? Who's a good boy? You're a good boy Sammy, yes your good boy." Dean croons and Sam can't help, but shake his head at Dean as his tail wags furiously. Lucifer who had been glaring at the brothers can't help the little laugh that escapes at Dean's sort of apology.

"Winchesters are so weird." Pytho comments as he shows up in the room suddenly with a large black wolf with a white treble clef on its right hind leg.

"Who are you?" Sam growls out as he and Dean approach the demon.

"I am Pytho…"

"Demon of music… But what are you doing here?" Lucifer finishes as he looks Pytho over, "And why did you bring a Hellhound?"

"Oh Adagio here, well he won't hurt a fly… but I'm here because Steff told me to tell you guys that she hates Dean and isn't ever coming back… She also said something else too, but I can't… oh wait! Steff also said don't bother to look for her because she is putting up a barrier." Pytho says as he looks over the room.

"What do you mean isn't coming back?" Dean asks feeling his heartbreak, a little more.

"I'm sorry sir, but she just left us a note on our door. Pyro said she didn't even say hello just rang the door bell and left." Pytho tells him regretfully.

"No, no, no, no, NO!" Lucifer shouts as he disappears to Hell in anger. Gabriel just grimaces as he feels a hurricane forming at his brother's anger.

"I have to go before Father stops him… Pytho if you hurt them, I will kill you." Gabriel warns as he flies to Hell to stop Lucifer from destroying the world. Pytho just sighs and walks over to the brothers.

"Alright now that they're gone… She also told me to tell you that when danger is the most look to the sky and pray for lightning…. Another thing she mentioned that she doesn't really hate you Dean… she just needs time to sort things out… she just needed Lucifer to think that so he doesn't come looking for her at least for a little while." Pytho says to them and Dean just stares at him in confusion. Meanwhile Adagio seeing Sam gets curious and walks over to him. Smelling the angel on him, Adagio begins to lick him and Sam freezes instantly.

"It's licking me." Sam says fearfully.

"Sam it's okay don't move." Dean tells Sam as he walks over to them and Adagio just tilts his head then walks over to Dean then licks him too. Pytho just watches, as the brothers stand stone still afraid to move.

"Chill Winchesters he ain't gonna hurt you. Adagio come!" Pytho says with a whistle as the large wolf runs over to his master. "Good boy." Sam can't help it when his tail wags.

"Sam will you quit that." Dean orders as he tries to stop the urge to pounce.

"Dean I can't… It's like a reflex." Sam points out and Dean can't suppress the urge anymore as he pounces on Sam's tail. Pytho can't help but laugh as he watches the brothers.

"You remind me of Pyro, Dean." Pytho comments as he picks up the cat to stop him from biting his brother's tail. Dean just growls, but stops when he feels Pytho start to pet him. He begins to purr as Pytho sits on the couch with Dean on his lap, Sam who feels left out wanders over with tail wagging as he jumps up on the couch next to the demon. Pytho just sighs as he scratches Sam's belly causing his hind leg to start moving.

"Pytho are you done here or what?" Pyro asks impatiently as he appears in the room with Faith who is the same size as Adagio with pure white fur and a blood red rose on its hind leg. "Awe she didn't tell us they had a puppy!" Pyro shouts as he rushes over to Sam, and begins scratching his belly.

"Pyro that is her brother Sam, although I have no idea why he is a puppy." Pytho says as he stops scratching Sam.

"Then I take it the pussy on your lap is Dean." Pyro jokes and Dean hisses at him. "I'm kidding… sheesh she was right when she said he was sensitive."

"Pyro be nice, sorry Dean he really is a nice demon." Pytho scolds as Dean just settles back down.

"Wait if you're the demon of music, what's he?" Sam pants out when Pyro stops scratching the spot so hard.

"I, my fine furry friend am the demon prince of falsehoods." Pyro says animatedly making a grand gesture with his hands.

"That's a lie, well at least the prince part… he's just really full of himself." Pytho tells them.

"And you guys are brothers?" Dean asks as he cocks his head to the side.

"Yup I was a info broker though not a very honest one… I may or may not have lured people to their deaths then stolen their possessions… Pytho over here was a musician who sold his soul for love, turns out the woman didn't actually love him." Pyro explains to Dean and Sam.

"Really well I've been there man… that is until I fell in love with an angel… that if I had to guess probably hates my guts right now." Dean says quietly as he just puts his head on his paws.

"I don't hate you Dean, you just upset me sometimes when you don't think before you speak." Cas says as he enters the room.

"CAS!" Dean shouts as he jumps off the demon and onto Cas. Cas just laughs and picks Dean up then pets him.

"I'll say it again, Winchesters are strange."

"I'm with you brother." Pyro agrees as he steps away from Sam, much to Sam's dismay.

"Well Pyro I think its time for us to go."

"Agreed Pytho, Faith come along."

"Adagio bid Sam farewell." Pytho says and Adagio trots over to Sam then licks his face.

"Bye and don't forget the lightning!" Pyro shouts as he, his brother, and the hounds disappear back to Hell. Cas just cocks his head in confusion.

"What did they mean?"

"No idea Cas, just a riddle game we were playing." Dean lies and looks at Sam to see if he remembers it or not. Sam blinks and jumps off the couch showing he retained it.

"Cas can you turn us back, I need a shower. I have Hellhound in my fur."

"I could help you." Gabriel offers as he appears with a very tired looking Lucifer.

"No thanks."

"Sammy please?"

"No."

"I'm an archangel and you're a puppy, I'll not be denied." Gabriel says as he snaps his fingers as both him and Sam disappear.

"I hate you all." Lucifer whispers out as he crashes onto the couch.

"We know Lucifer." Cas replies as he turns Dean back and they settle onto a bed.

"Why does he hate us?" Dean asks feeling like he missed something.

"Because we told father on him, and Father said he either calms down or he gets put in the cage… Well he wouldn't calm down and I didn't want him to be put in the cage so I slipped a grace cuff on him." Cas admits to Dean sadly.

"Oh, Steff has the same problem with that too."

"Don't talk about my mate you dick!" Lucifer growls out from the couch.

"She was my sister first."

"Yeah well at least I'm not the bastard who drove her away."

"Enough you two; Dean lay down, Lucifer shut the fuck up!" Cas shouts at them and they both just stare at him.

"Did he just swear?" Lucifer asks Dean in disbelief.

"Yeah… Cas I think I'm starting to wear off on you." Dean says with a voice full of pride. Cas just beams as he pulls Dean down into a kiss.

"That's nice Kitten, but now I'm going to fuck you so lay down." Cas orders and Dean blushes, Lucifer takes this as his cue to leave.

Heaven

Once Lucifer left them he decided a good place to start his search for Steff was in Heaven… If anyone other than Cas would know where Steff was at it would be Balthazar. So he begins his search there, he enters the heaven to find the sand between his toes and sun shining on his wings.

"That feels great."

"I know… that's why I like it."

"Balthazar have you tried looking for Steff?"

"Yes and I found her."

"What! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Lucifer we need to talk about something first."

"What?"

"We bonded." Balthazar says quietly preparing for Lucifer to beat him.

"So?"

"Not just a normal bond, but an…"

"Balthazar you didn't!" Lucifer groans in frustration, not really angry but a little disappointed.

"I'm sorry as soon as I touched her wings with mine for the second time I knew… Lucifer I just can't leave her… I can't." Balthazar pleads with his brother hoping he doesn't kill him or Steff.

"Balthazar how could you imprint on her? She's my wife, my mate!"

"I know and I'm sorry, I should have never went down there in the first place." Balthazar says regretfully and Lucifer can't help but try to get angry… but he can't Lucifer knows that Balthazar is in a tough spot having imprinted on Steff. Lucifer having experienced this for himself with Steff knows what Balthazar is feeling, and he just sighs in frustration.

"Show me."

"Here." Balthazar says as he shows Lucifer his hand, and he sees the dark black band around his pinky finger. It is just plain black Steff had stopped putting teal in her wings long ago. Lucifer looks at his own band noticing how the teal is gone, but rather replaced by a dark indigo.

"Balthazar she is mine first, remember that and if you try to inhibit me at all… I will kill you… no hesitation." Lucifer says to Balthazar gravely and Balthazar just nods respectfully.

"Yes Lucifer."

"Good, now let's go find my mate." Lucifer says possessively with emphasis on the 'my'. Balthazar smiles and tells him to where he felt Steff last.

In Antarctica

After Steff left the note with Pytho and Pyro she flew to Antarctica. Now she wasn't going there to cry she told herself. She was going to check up on the cub she had saved a while back. When she finds the bear she sees that the bear has three large cubs of her own. Steff just walks out onto the ice and over to the momma bear. The bear growls at her defensively ready to kill the stranger. Steff just turns into a lioness and approaches the bear mentally telling the mother she means no harm. When she gets close enough to the bear she catches a whiff of Steff. The bear instantly recognizes her and stops growling as she trots over to her. Steff just smiling as she and the bear sit on the ice and watch the three cubs jostle and play fight on the ice. Eventually the bear calls her cubs in and they all head into their den off the ice. Steff however just turns back into her angel form, and lies on the ice. Watching while the sun, set with the light glimmering on the snowflakes as they cascade down from the sky.

Two hours later

"SWEETHEART!" Lucifer shouts as he tackles Steff in a full body hug pinning her on the ice.

"Lucifer." Steff responds coolly as she just lies there looking up at him with a bored look, she had been on the edge of sleep when he got there.

"Steff you need to stop leaving me."

"You should stop letting me leave."

"I could arrange that."

"Okay, well you do what you want I'm gonna take a nap."

"No you need to stay awake."

"Or I could sleep here, and you could kill Dean for me."

"Already tried, Gabriel stopped me."

"Good for Gabriel." Steff states as she stops listening, and Lucifer just rambles on about the last couple of days. Eventually Lucifer realizes that Steff isn't listening to him anymore when she doesn't even look him in the eye when he says her name.

"Steff…. Steffanie…. Steff…. Sweetheart…. I swear to god if you don't answer I'm going to chain you to me." Lucifer threatens, but Steff doesn't even blink just stares blankly at him. "You're as cold as ice, you're willing to sacrifice our love." Lucifer sings to her, but she still doesn't move. "You never take advice some day you'll pay the price, I know."

"Sorry Luci, what?" Steff says as she wakes up out of her trance.

"Your closing the door leaving the world behind… your digging for gold… you're throwing away a fortune in feelings… but someday you'll pay." Lucifer just continues singing.

"Will you stop already?"

"You know that you are, as cold as ice to me." Lucifer sings finishing the refrain. Steff just rolls her eyes and pushes him off her.

"I'm never cold."

"Really cause you feel frigid right now." Lucifer points out to her and he can see her feathers bristle.

"Did you come here to pick a fight?" Steff mutters as she shrugs out of his grip, still pissed about her blow up with Dean.

"No not particularly… Should we be fighting?"

"Lucifer I am not really in the mood for these games."

"I'm not even doing anything Steff…. I love you."

"I love you too Lucifer, I truly do." Steff says quietly as she walks over to the edge of the ice and sticks her feet in. Lucifer just follows her over to edge.

"You're gonna get hypothermia like that."

"So?"

"So your feet are going to fall off, last time I checked your feet are important."

"Well maybe I decided I don't want them anymore."

"Really? You just don't want your feet anymore. "

"Nope I don't."

"Well I guess then you'll have to return those boots to Cas."

"What are we doing?"

"Currently I'm trying to convince you to keep your feet out of that water, but you are being your usual stubborn self and trying to prove me wrong." Lucifer says as he pulls her feet out of the water and rubs warmth back into them.

"When do angels die?"

"Never."

"Well that seems awfully boring."

"That's why we get mates, keeps things interesting."

"But what did you do before me?" Steff asks.

"I caused infinite pain and suffering."

"That sounds like a drag."

"Sweetheart what are you getting at?"

"I don't even know; I want a hug." Steff says randomly.

"Sure." Lucifer says as he pulls her into his embrace.

"I need to show you something."

"Then show me."

"I bonded with Balthazar, and it got this weird thing on my finger. I can always tell where he is now like exact location not like ours where I get general location." Steff explains to him and Lucifer just smiles.

"That is called an imprint and you can shut that part off, but not until your soul recharges fully… it's kinda like flipping a switch. You'll be hiding from us normally in like a month." Lucifer explains to her as he snaps her boots back on her feet.

"Oh, but what do I do until then?"

"Stay with me, I'll save you from big bad Balthazar."

"Lucifer when have I ever needed saving?"

"Lots, but I'm just the angel to do it."

"My angel."

"My human angel hybrid."

"You could have just said Sweetheart."

"No, I think I'm going to call you Heartbreaker."

"Really?"

"My sweet little Heartbreaker."

"Now I'm a walking oxymoron." Steff says with a smile as she wraps her legs around Lucifer.

"So where do you wanna go?"

"I wanna go home."

"To Hell?"

"No, home."

"Bobbys?"

"No, home."

"So where? I'm out of guesses."

"Brothers…" Steff mumbles sleepily as she falls asleep in his arms. Lucifer just smiles as he flies them both back to the Impala. When they get there Steff is still sleeping on Lucifer so he puts her on the back seat and falls asleep with her.

Noon

"Sam I was…. What the hell!" Dean says in surprise when he finds Steff curled in Lucifer's arms in the back seat of the Impala. "Sam she's back!"

"Now you can apologize." Sam says.

"Yeah I know."

"Shut up you two… I'm trying to sleep here… seriously you guys." Steff says quietly as she turns over so her wings are facing them.

"I'm sorry."

"I know… can you hand me that blanket?"

"Sure thing Angel." Dean says as he puts the blanket over them with a smile.

"Not… angel."

"Okay, Huntress whatever you say."

"Shut up… Kitten." Steff says as she fades back into sleep. Dean just chuckles softly as he and Sam get in the car. He starts up the car and heads to the next hunt Sam had found them in Arizona.


	44. The Prayer for Lightning

A couple of months have passed since Steff has last seen her brothers. She and Lucifer had mostly stayed in Hell while he taught Steff how to better control Hell and the weather. Now Steff hadn't wanted to go, but Lucifer said it was either he or have Michael teach her; so Steff stayed reluctantly and learned how to use the power properly. Meanwhile with her brothers Cas had begun to feel useless, and when a demon came to him with a proposition. Cas had been hesitant at first, but when Gabriel ended up saving him from a witch it pushed him over the edge. The plan was for him to take in souls from purgatory and give some to the demon, see souls are like tiny little power plants with tons of energy. So Cas figured if he took a few in he would be strong enough to not need saving. It took Cas and the demon a few weeks to get the spell ready. In those weeks Dean had noticed Cas being secretive, but figured the angel was doing his own thing. Dean would never admit that it hurt him deeply, because he was Dean Winchester the rock of the group. He wasn't allowed emotions those were for Steff or Sam; he was the one who carried on by himself no matter what. So Dean just buries the emotions, and keeps hunting until Michael had flown to Dean and told him of Cas' plan.

That night

The night Cas was supposed to complete the plan it was a dark stormy night in an old abandon warehouse somewhere in southern Nevada. Michael transports Dean, with Sam and Gabriel following close behind. Dean finds Cas right as he is about to say the incantation, Cas had killed the demon earlier figuring world was better off without him.

"CAS STOP!" Dean shouts as he runs over to Cas.

"Dean leave." Cas orders and pushes Dean away roughly.

"No Cas I won't leave you. Now give me the damn paper!" Dean shouts as he frantically attempts to grab the paper from his delirious angel.

"Dean I'm doing this for you can't you see that." Cas shouts back as he dodges Dean's grabs.

"For me… Cas what are you talking about?"

"I'm weak Dean, I can't save you."

"Cas you don't need to save me…"

"Yes I do! I love you and I just have to…" Cas says as he finishes the incantation. The wall opens up and a bunch of bright lights fly into Cas. Dean who can't think of anything else prays for lightning.

"Steff if you can hear me I'm praying for that damn lightning." Dean shouts and listens as they hear a crack of thunder in response followed by the appearance of Steff.

"Dean?"

"Steff stop him!" Dean shouts quickly and Steff turns to see Cas glowing. The portal behind the crazed angel beginning to close, thinking fast she does the only thing she can think to do. She tackles Cas into the portal and watches as it seals behind them. They land in the middle of a dense dark forest, Cas is passed out but Steff can feel his heartbeat. She notices bright red pairs of eyes watching her; she can hear them begin to growl. Steff pulls forth her blade, and crouches in a defensive pose over Cas then mutter,

"Come and get me."

Back on Earth

"Steff no!" Michael shouts in anguish as he pounds on the wall only succeeding in knocking it down. Gabriel, Dean, and Sam just stare in shock at what just happened. Balthazar having felt the shift in their imprint flies up with Lucifer who had just gotten there seeing as Steff had left him in a hurry.

"Where is she?" Lucifer asks as he looks around the room, only to be met with eyes full of shock.

"WHERE-IS-SHE?" Balthazar shouts forcefully when he can only feel her faintly.

"Purgatory." Michael answers so quietly he might as well have whispered it. Lucifer who had been calm until now just punches a wall destroying it. Balthazar just falls to his knees and his wings slump down.

"Why?"

"Cas… she tried…. She tried to stop him." Dean answers the first of the Winchesters to gain his voice.

"No…. why was he…?"

"It's my fault." Dean says solemnly and Lucifer pins him against a wall.

"How Winchester?"

"He said he needed to be stronger to save me." Dean tells him and Lucifer just drops him to the floor roughly.

"It's not your fault Dean." Lucifer tells him bitterly, hoping he would have someone to blame at least. But hurting this Winchester wasn't going to bring his back so he just grabs Balthazar and goes.

"Lucifer!" Gabriel shouts as his brother's storm off.

"Gabriel let them go, take the Winchesters; I need to speak to Father." Michael orders and Gabriel just nods as he takes the men back to their motel room.

"Dean you…"

"Shut up Gabriel."

"Dean don't yell at Gabriel…"

"Shut it Sam, this is my fault… I should have just…"

"Dean what could you have done?" Gabriel asks angrily wondering what this human could have done.

"I could have called Steff sooner, she would have talked some sense into him." Dean tells Gabriel after a minute of silence.

"Dean he still…"

"Go… just take Sammy and go!" Dean retorts angrily and Gabriel just nods as he puts a hand on Sam's shoulder they both disappear leaving Dean alone in the room. When he's sure they aren't coming back he cries. He cries for his angel, he cries for Steff who was in purgatory paying for his angel's mistake, and he cries for the fact that this entire situation was indirectly his own damn fault. "I should've never fallen in love with him." Dean mutters bitterly as he grabs the keys to the Impala and goes to get a drink.

Weeks have passed

Heaven

"Father you must save her!" Michael shouts angrily at his father seeing no reason Steff must pay for Castiel's mistake.

"Michael, she didn't have to save him… it was her choice."

"She saves everyone and you know that!"

"Michael this is her mess..."

"This is Castiel's mess not hers; she just tried to fix it!"

"And how did that work out Michael? Tell me how!"

"Father you must save her…"

"No, what I must do is control Lucifer. Now go take care of your brother before I do!" God says with finality and Michael just sighs in frustration, and then flies down to Lucifer.

Hell

"Lucifer you need to stop before Father makes me hurt you." Michael tells his brother somberly, knowing this had been hard on him.

"Michael, Father doesn't make you do anything anymore." Lucifer responds as he continues forming a hurricane about to strike Hawaii.

"Fine if you won't stop for me, then stop for Steff. She wouldn't want this would she?" Michael questions and watches as Lucifer stops what he was about to destroy.

"Michael…"

"Lucifer, I need your help…. I was going through some of the books up in Heaven. We might be able to save her if we work together, however we'll need Balthazar and Gabriel just to be sure." Michael tells Lucifer and watches as his brother approaches him with a calculating look.

"Did you ask Father?"

"No and I don't think he needs to know... Does he?"

"I like this new Michael he's so…"

"Lucifer don't say..."

"Rebellious, brother if you fall I will always have a place for you in Hell."

"Thanks."

"Just like old times."

"Yeah, now get the others and can you find Dean for me?"

"Why?"

"I think he is bleeding to death."

"Huh?"

"Just save him please." Michael says as he goes back to Heaven to research.

Earth

Lucifer finds Dean in the middle of a vampire nest, indeed bleeding to death. So he storms in there and smites all the vampires quickly. Then he goes over to Dean who is barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Cas?" Dean asks weakly with a sliver of hope in his eyes.

"No, it's Lucifer…. Sorry to disappoint, but your angel lover left you."

"In that case, just leave me to die."

"Can't Michael thinks he might have found a way to save them…. Or at least Steff."

"What about Cas?" Dean asks hopefully as Lucifer finishes healing him.

"Knowing Michael I know he will save Steff for sure because this wasn't even remotely her fault, but Cas I have no clue." Lucifer tells Dean and watches as he just nods solemnly.

"Oh."

"However if I know Steff, and by now I do. I know she won't leave him behind." Lucifer reassures him with a smile and Dean just stands up with a hopeful look.

"Well then let's go save some angels." Dean says and Lucifer laughs at the human's confidence as he transports them to Heaven's library where Michael currently is. Sam is already looking through books, and Gabriel is translating some of the Enochian phrases for him.

"Sam that means the heart of an ox."

"Gabriel why would…"

"I think that's a book of love poems." Michael says in confusion as he takes it from Sam's hands and gives him a different one. "Here this is relevant to our cause."

"Okay, thanks."

"Wait since when can you read Enochian Sam?" Dean asks as he looks at the symbols, which only give him a headache.

"I gave it to him temporarily so he could be of use." Michael informs him as he skims the text in his hands.

"Oh." Dean says as he just picks up a book, and stares at the symbols trying to will himself to comprehend it.

"Dean if you want, I can give it to you?" Lucifer asks as he picks up a book and begins to skim it.

"Umm…"

"Here." Lucifer says as he snaps his fingers, and suddenly Dean can read all the titles of the books. One that catches his eye is 'Purgatory and why you should stay away.'. Dean picks it up and begins to read it. 'Purgatory is the place where all monsters go to die. It is filled with all creatures of the night from werewolves to dragons. This is a place where God basically sentenced all of his mess-ups to go when they die; that also includes Eve.'

"Who is Eve?" Dean asks quietly and they all turn to him.

"Eve was…"

"Wasn't she Adam's wife?" Sam interjects casually as he looks up from his book.

"Sammy your such a smart puppy." Gabriel praises as he ruffles Sam's hair. Sam just ignores him and looks at Lucifer for conformation.

"Yes Sam she was Adam's wife… well until he started to piss her off, then she tired to kill him. But God struck her down before she could, and when she was sent to Hell where I twisted her soul. Then she became the first demon where she changed her name to Lilith, and she began creating monsters just to spite Adam." Lucifer explains to the Winchester brothers who just nod their heads in interest.

"You know the Bible never mentions that." Dean points out.

"Yeah well Christians weren't told that story." Lucifer tells him, "They also weren't told about the time Michael…"

"Lucifer do not tell them." Michael snaps as he suddenly pulls his head out of the book.

"Wait is he talking about…"

"Yep."

"Lucifer, Gabriel if you tell them I will lock you both in the cage after we save Steff." Michael threatens as he glares menacingly at his brothers.

"Fine, I won't say it." Gabriel promises and Sam just laughs remembering something he had caught Dean in Steff's clothes when he was drunk.

"That reminds me of the time Dean wore…"

"Shut up Sam!"

"Dean it's pretty funny."

"I will kill you!"

"He put on a pair of Steff's…" Sam starts, but Dean tackles him then shoves his hand over his mouth before he can say anything else.

"Dean let him up." Gabriel says as he raises his eyebrow at the Winchester.

"No he's cool right here…. Ow! Seriously Sam you fucking bite me!" Dean shouts in outrage as Sam bites his hand.

"Alright you two enough, either help or leave." Michael says tired of their shenanigans. Dean and Sam just nod as they grab the books they had been reading, everyone assuming the positions they had been in before.

About ten minutes

"Blue lace panties." Sam mutters as he turns a page and all the angels burst into laughter. Dean just turns beet red and tackles Sam out of his chair.

"Sam! You bastard, you said that was between us!" Dean says in hurt as he pins Sam down who is just laughing.

"I'm sorry Dean, but it's just really funny."

"Plus you know I was wasted when I did it." Dean says in embarrassment as he just stares Sam down. Sam who just shrinks back a little under Dean's tight grip and killer stare.

"Dean I'm sorry."

"I was curious." Dean mutters as he looks at Sam with betrayal in his eyes as he gets up off of his traitorous brother.

"Did it look a little like this?" Gabriel asks mischievously as he snaps his fingers, and Dean is just wearing blue lace panties. Dean's eyes just go wide, then he thinks to himself 'fuck it I rock these'. So instead of hiding he just stands there with a confident stare.

"You know I'm hot." Dean says playfully with a seductive wink to Gabriel.

"Actually I …" Gabriel comments as he looks Dean up and down.

"Gabriel if you finish that sentence I will leave you." Sam warns his angel who just snaps clothes back on Dean. Now while they had been laughing, Michael had found the incantation he had been looking for.

"Ah hah!"

"What is it Michael?" Lucifer asks as he turns to his brother.

"I know how we're going to save Steff."

"Good, how?" Dean asks wanting to be sure this is full proof.

"Well we need to open the gate, and someone has to 'pray for lightning'. It looks like someone has written in the book…. Is that? Lucifer look at this." Michael says in confusion as he passes Lucifer the book. Lucifer looks at the loopy script, and notices that it's none other then Steff's.

"Michael that's her handwriting I'm sure of it… but pray to who for lightning? And I didn't even know you could pray for lightning to begin with." Lucifer says mirroring his brother's confusion, and he sees Dean's face lit up with a realization.

"Dean what is it?" Balthazar asks the human noticing the change in his demeanor.

"Steff! That's how I got her here the night they disappeared!" Dean says to them excitedly.

"Is that what Pytho meant when he told us this a long time ago?" Sam asks and Dean just shrugs.

"I don't know… maybe, but at least we know what we have to do. So let's not waste anymore time." Dean says and the angels just nod in agreement and go to work.

Meanwhile in Purgatory

Steff and Cas had been locked in constant battle since they first got to Purgatory… and if someone asked her to describe it, she would most likely compared it to the hunger games. Except without all the politics, none of the glory, or even winners. Cas and her came to a conclusion early in Purgatory. There are no winners, no losers, only more of the same; just more killing, no real sunshine, and pure instinct. Steff wasn't really enjoying this perse, but she didn't exactly hate it. She liked the fact that there was… was a certain neutrality about it; it wasn't Steff and Cas against the world. But rather Steff and Cas against the monsters of Purgatory and vice versa. Each party doing there best to kill the other and survive, which Steff discovered wasn't as easy as she thought it would be… even as an angel.

A week later

After Michael found the incantation

"Cas!" Steff whispers loudly trying to figure out where Cas had gotten off to, she had only been gone for a second trying to find a way to cross the river.

"Steff over here!" Cas whispers back from the stream.

"Cas you really got to stop leaving me man, I worry." Steff scolds playfully as she walks over to him.

"Steff I'm sorry." Cas says seriously and Steff can tell he means it more than just for running off.

"Bout what Cas?" Steff asks in mild confusion as she washes the skinwalker's blood from her hands in the stream.

"This… I got you stuck in Purgatory." Cas says as he gestures to their surroundings.

"It ain't that bad, gives me a chance to hone my skills… Plus I get to hang out with my favorite guardian angel." Steff says as she bites her lip in an attempt to hold back tears.

"Steff are you gonna cry?"

"No Cas I'm fine."

"If you wanna cry… I understand."

"Cas I'm not gonna cry, now come on!" Steff says curtly as she stands up, and begins to walk away. Cas just follows behind her quietly as they walk farther into the forest.

"Steff I…"

"Cas stop."

"No Steff, I need to say this."

"Seriously Cas shut up for a minute." Steff says seriously as she holds up her hand to signal for him to stop. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what, it's silent?"

"I know and this place has never been silent in the three weeks we've been here… Cas get behind me." Steff orders as she and Cas face back to back. They slowly spin in a defensive circle only to realize that they are surrounded by some kind of demonic bears.

"I hate these guys." Steff mutters as the first bear comes toward them she lunges forward, and slices through the bear's throat. "Cas duck!" Steff orders as she spins around, and stabs the bear in front of Cas.

"Steff down!" Cas says as he whips around and stabs another bear in front of her. This goes on for another couple of minutes before all the bears are killed. Steff wipes her blade on her jeans trying to get the weird bears blood off the blade.

"Cas you think this is going to stain?" Steff asks casually as she gestures to the large stain on her pants.

"Probably." Cas tells her and watches as she sighs regretfully.

"Well then you owe me a new pair of jeans when we get out here."

"Steff have you even tried to get out?"

"Yes."

"Can you?"

"Yeah." Steff mutters quietly.

"Steff then go! What the hell are you waiting for?" Cas shouts loudly in surprise, wondering why she would still be here if she could leave.

"No."

"Get out of here and come back for me."

"No Cas, it's either together or not at all." Steff says with finality that reminds him of Dean as she starts walking again.

"Steff you need to go."

"No I won't." Steff says as her voice cracks and tears begin to fall from her eyes and Cas pulls her to face him.

"Angel you don't belong here."

"No I have to… I have to for… him."

"Who Angel? Who is worth this?"

"Dean… I have to… he needs you and Sam needs you. Cas I have ruined his life, and with you he's happy so very happy… Cas I have never seen him happier than when he is with you… he needs you not me… no one needs me… I can stay, but you have to go." Steff tells him with surety as he pulls her into his arms suddenly.

"Steff you haven't ruined his life. Have you ever listened to how he talks about you?" Cas asks and Steff just shakes her head.

"Angel he loves you so very much… Whenever I ask him how you're doing he usually beams with pride … he is so proud of you… But you frustrate him when you leave, and don't come back… Those years in Hell were…. Well let's just say they were rough on him; he constantly asked how you were… Steff I don't think you realize how much he loves you… hell he sometimes slips up and says my daughter." Cas tells her with a smile as she whimpers into his shoulder.

"Cas I miss him and Lucifer." Steff replies quietly as she wipes away her tears.

"If you leave me then you can see them."

"No, I can't… have to save you first… if I did it right then they should have found it by now."

"Did what?"

"That." Steff says with a smile as she gestures to the sky, as it turns purple.

"What?"

"Hold on…. Home." Steff whispers and she wills herself to leave with Cas.

Earth

Alaskan wilderness

After the angels say the incantation and Dean prays for lightning, but nothing happens at first. Then a few minutes later bright lights flash across the sky and thunder rumbles in the distance like the low growl of a lion.

"Keshet." Lucifer whispers as they watch the lights dance across the sky, and then they watch as an object falls from the sky. It crashes about a half mile from them and they all rush there to see Steff lying on the ground unmoving with Cas trying to revive her.

"Dammit Steff you don't get to die!" Cas says angrily as he pushes down on her chest and shoves his grace into her. Steff awakes with a loud huh.

"Steff!" Lucifer says as he picks her up in his arms glad to have her back.

"You owe me a new pair of jeans Cas." Steff mumbles weakly from Lucifer's arms. The angels and her brothers just give them a strange look.

"I suppose I do Angel, I suppose I..." Cas says as he falls unconscious, Dean rushes to catch him before he falls.

"I gotcha Feathers."

"How did she know about lightning?" Michael asks as they all fly to Gabriel's house.

"I wanna know how she knew what book you would read." Dean says as he puts Cas on the couch seat next to him gently. Lucifer stays standing with Steff sleeping on his shoulder.

"Maybe she just guessed." Lucifer says, "Gabriel I'm gonna put Steff on a bed upstairs."

"Yeah it's right down the hall, first door on the right." Gabriel answers and Lucifer walks away.

"Michael does Dad…"

"Yes I just felt it Gabriel." God says angrily as he taps his foot. Michael says nothing as he just looks at the ground shamefully.

"Dad leave him alone." Balthazar says quietly.

"Balthazar go find Steff and Lucifer." God orders and Balthazar obediently walks away.

"God don't hurt him." Dean says in defense of his guardian angel as he stands up next to Michael.

"Dean take my son and find the others."

"No, this angel saved my sister and my very confused angel… So no God I won't let you hurt him." Dean says defiantly as he stands up to God, much like he did to his father.

"To bad you're just a weak human."

"Dean is not a… weak…. human… he's the closest thing to a father I have." Steff mumbles as she appears by the stairs with Lucifer right behind, her holding her up.

"Keshet, leave this is not your fight." God says as he watches her stumble down the stairs with his son's help.

"Oh it is… now." Steff muses as she wobbles at the bottom of the stairs.

"Keshet can you even stand?" God asks skeptically as he watches her.

"God I have more than enough strength to fight you… even like this." Steff says as she half flares her black wings out in a very weak attempt to look threatening.

"Very well." God relents as he transports them to the open field they fought in before. God brings everyone with. Steff stands up straight and takes a deep breath.

"Sweetheart come back you can't…" Lucifer begs as he goes to approach, but God uses his powers to restrain him.

"Son this is our fight not yours."

"Steff!"

"Don't worry Luci, I got this." Steff promises with the signature brand of Winchester confidence, then with a deep breath she takes off at the fastest sprint she can manage, drawing her ebony knife as she plunges it into God's shoulder. She hears him grunt in pain as he sends a shard of ice at Steff; she drops to the ground dodging it narrowly as she pushes her power into the ground causing snakes of fire to form around God's ankles. God just laughs as he breaks the snakes grip on him; Steff was too weak to maintain them.

"Keshet you are no match for me this time." God taunts at Steff who just laughs weakly.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog." Steff mutters as she throws a lightning bolt at him. He just reflects it back to her and he watches as Steff grimaces out in pain at the strike, but is surprised when she doesn't go down.

"Give up."

"Never!" Steff grunts out as she calls forth a rainstorm.

"What is that gonna do Steffanie?" God asks in a taunting manner as he approaches Steff, where she is kneeling on the ground breathing hard.

"It's a surprise." Steff mutters quietly as God picks her up by her throat, at this point she doesn't even bother to fight.

"I win." God says triumphantly.

"Not this time." Steff chokes out as she uses her body like a lightning rod summoning the lightning to her. God tries to move, but Steff has new snakes wrapped around his ankles. Then with a smile on her face the lightning strikes her then carries into God knocking him down, and leaves Steff out of breath as she falls onto the in a crumpled heap on the ground.

"STEFF!" Lucifer shouts worriedly as he rushes forward to heal his injured mate.

"Luci…. mmm, fine." Steff lies weakly as he picks her up.

"No you're not! Steff you can't fight God a second time and expect to live."

"Lucifer, she is the only being who has challenged me multiple times and lived… Plus she beat me again, I don't understand how… I'm far superior in nearly every way yet she still beats me… Why?" God shouts at her in frustration.

"Desperation, fear, and determination." Steff answers quietly from Lucifer's arms.

"What?" God asks in confusion.

"I fear for my families safety, I need to save them, and I refuse to accept defeat. This is what drives me, and allows me to beat you even like this." Steff tells God and watches as he looks at her in confusion.

"I should still be able to win."

"God what do you fight for?" Steff asks, but doesn't stay awake to hear his answer. God just watches as her eyelids finally flutter shut, unable to stay conscious any longer. He begins to question himself trying to figure out what he does fight for.

"Nothing." God mutters after a minute of thinking.

"Father?" Michael asks hesitantly.

"Just go Michael, take them and go… I… I need to think." God says as he disappears pondering the Keshet's question. Michael just nods and transports them all back to Gabriel's house.

Gabe's house

"Lucifer, she has internal bleeding." Balthazar states as he puts a hand to Steff's shoulder.

"I got it, thanks Balth… Can you check Cas for me?" Lucifer asks as he finishes healing most of Steff's wounds at least the internal ones.

"He's fine… should wake up in a minute or two." Balthazar responds as he touches a finger to Cas' head. When he does Cas sits straight up in panic.

"Steff! Where is Steff?"

"Chill Cas, she's right here." Balthazar tells him.

"Is she okay?"

"She will be, fucking Father; I can't believe he would do that!" Lucifer says in frustration as he smoothes Steff hair back.

"What did he do?"

"He fought her because she wouldn't let Michael become injured for going against his wishes." Lucifer explains to Cas.

"Wait he wanted us to stay in Purgatory?"

"Yes he wouldn't even help Steff; he said she deserved it for helping you." Lucifer says to him bitterly.

"I'm…"

"Say sorry and I will put you back in Purgatory… and I'll make sure you can't pray for lightning." Lucifer warns and Cas just shuts his mouth.

"Cas why don't you go take a shower?" Gabriel suggests as he snaps some towels into existence. "Sam can you show him?"

"Yeah sure, Cas come with me." Sam says as he gestures for Cas to follow him. Dean, Lucifer, Michael, and Gabriel just watch as Cas and Sam disappear.

"What do we do now?" Dean asks wondering what the game plan is now.

"Well you are going to Bobby's and Steff is going with you… Michael what about you?" Lucifer tells him.

"I… well… I don't know what I'm supposed to do now."

"Come with me to Hell I could use your opinion on something." Lucifer says as he transports Steff and Dean to Bobby's, then him and Michael head to Hell.


	45. Happiness, Heaven, and Wes

A few days later

Early morning

"Dad…" Steff mumbles out as she wakes up wrapped in Dean's arms not really sure where she is exactly.

"Steff it's just me." Dean reassures her and he feels her body relax at his words.

"Oh… Cas… where's Cas at?" Steff asks worriedly as she shifts up to look at the angel she finds him sleeping peacefully on Sam's bed.

"He's on Sam's bed."

"Go cuddle with him." Steff orders playfully as she shifts into her cat form.

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Don't do stupid things." Steff scolds her tone getting an edge to it.

"I'm not the one who fought God after they escaped Purgatory." Dean points out sharply his tone taking the edge only slightly sharper.

"Well I'm not the one who made the angel feel the need to make deals with demons."

"You know what Steff fuck you! It's not my fault he felt that way! If it's anyone's fault then it's yours because you told me to take a chance and I did… So go to Hell!" Dean mutters angrily as he gets off the bed.

"You're right this is my fault… I'm sorry I wanted you to be happy Dean! I really am… had I known… I should have just stayed in Hell." Steff says regretfully as she jumps off the bed, and stalks out of the room leaving Dean with his angel… 'the one angel he wants most' she thinks bitterly to herself. Dean just watches as she leaves the room, he doesn't go after her instead he goes back to Cas who is still sleeping on the bed; so he just crawls onto the bed and spoons with him.

"Hey Kitten." Cas mumbles sleepily as he turns to face Dean.

"Shh, go back to sleep Feathers." Dean says with a smile, hiding the tears threatening to fall.

"Where's Steff?" Cas asks as he rolls back over.

"I don't know Cas… I just don't know." Dean whispers so quietly Cas can't hear him, and he feels a single tear run down his face. He just pulls Cas close as he rests his head behind his angel's.

"What did you say Kitten?"

"Nothing Cas… now go to sleep."

"Okay…"

Dean just watches as Cas falls asleep again, and Dean just hums 'smoke on the water' until he too fell asleep.

The Heaven Cas forced Steff into a long time ago

Steff transported herself to the heaven where Cas had first locked her in. She changes the scenery so that it's a tundra landscape filled with all the animals associated with it. Steff watches, as a lone wolf approaches her and it's no ordinary wolf, rather it's a large blonde one that looks just like Wes.

"Steff there you are." Wes says cheerily as he approaches his crestfallen sister.

"Wes?"

"Yeah, it has taken me forever to find you… this place is huge!" Wes exclaims to his sister who is still in slight shock at his sudden appearance.

"Wes, I'm so sorry…"

"Steff it's not your fault."

"No it is…. I could have…"

"Have what Steff? Let me go, so I could have been killed by your brothers or some other hunter."

"I should have saved you… you were the only one I... I just couldn't save you." Steff admits as tears rapidly fall from her eyes, at having finally admitted it.

"Steff you can't save everyone… it's just not possible." Wes says as he turns back into a human and hugs his crying sister.

"I…"

"No Steff it's just not possible, and besides I'm the eldest I should be saving you." Wes points out with a smile as he hugs his sister tighter.

"Are you happy?" Steff asks him as she pulls from his grip, and Wes just looks at her for a minute.

"Yeah, Steff I really am… Are you happy?" Wes asks Steff and watches as her wings turn dark blue.

"No…"

"Why not? You're alive, your other brother's are alive, you have a husband, and children… Plus a guardian angel and whatever Balthazar is to you… What more could you want?"

"I want…"

"What Steff what?"

"I want you to be alive, I want Jordan, and I want to…"

"Want to what… spit it out!"

"I want to save them! All right I just want to save all of them from me, everyone I love either dies or gets mauled… I want them to be happy!" Steff shouts at him and instantly she begins to feel her mind ease a little at just having admitted that. After the many years she kept it locked deep inside her soul. Wes watches as her wings turn to a shade of light sea foam green; he also notices how much brighter she looks in general.

"Feel better?"

"Yeah, Wes you don't understand how long…"

"No Steff I know you, and I know that this was probably eating away at you since I disappeared, but I also know that you push people away… Dean can't help you if you push him away."

"How did you know?"

"Because you're my sister and an easy read for me … now go back and fix it. Don't forget to visit me once in a while, hell even your kids do."

"Seth and Violet how are they?"

"Violet is hardheaded like you and Seth wants to save everyone too just like you. They are beautiful angels, you should be proud."

"I am."

"Good, now stop procrastinating and talk to your father."

"He's not my father."

"Don't pull that shit with me."

"I…"

"Steff we both know he's the closest thing you've ever had to a father, and it would do you well to just admit it."

"You're right."

"I usually am."

"Jackass." Steff says with a smirk.

"Asshat." Wes answers back with a smile.

"Bye."

"Parting is such sweet sorrow."

"Such a nerd... even in death you're a nerd."

"Hey just cause I died doesn't mean I can't enjoy Shakespeare."

"See you soon Wes." Steff says as she flies back down to Bobby's house.

Bobby's House

That night

Steff wasn't really looking forward to apologizing to Dean. Apologies were never her strong point especially to Dean. However she knew that Wes was right, and a mistake was a mistake so an apology was in order. But when she gets there she notices that the lights in the kitchen are smashed and the phone line cut. She also sees that there was forced entry to the house, plus she could smell blood. Looking for clues she only finds a claw stuck in a doorway. But it isn't like a normal werewolf or animal claw it seems more like a human fingernail than anything else.

"Cas? Bobby?" Steff shouts, but only hears a grunt in response. She follows the sound to basement to find Bobby locked in the panic room bleeding against the wall.

"Steff..."

"Bobby hold on I'll fix you." Steff says as she runs over to Bobby and heals him up.

"Thanks Kid." Bobby says as Steff helps him up.

"No problem, where's Dean?"

"They took him and forced Cas back to Heaven."

"Who took him?"

"Something, but Steff I've never seen anything like it before... It had claws, but..."

"Did it look a little like this Bobby?" Steff asks as she uses her ability to show him a very basic picture of the beast.

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"Purgatory, you wouldn't believe some of the monsters there... But Cas and I encountered a few of these. It was very difficult to kill based on the fact that it was able to shift quickly between shapes, fast and I don't mean human fast. I mean angel fast, this took Cas and I a solid thirty minutes to kill and that was in the open... Anyways you said they, who else?"

"It was a witch, she said something about a bitter childhoods... But I have no idea what she meant."

"Childhood... child... Mara." Steff mutters in disbelief.

"Who?"

"Mara is a witch who specializes in childhoods…. especially bad ones... she came after me once, but Lucifer got to her before she could try anything... She usually doesn't go this far to grab someone though."

"So you think she is going to do what exactly?"

"She turns adults back into children and gives them a better childhood, or so I've been told."

"What's so bad about that?"

"As the story goes Mara usually keeps them for a few months or turns them into these half human creatures that are forced to do her bidding... Basically she just cares for them, Bobby how did it get entrance they usually need invitation to enter?"

"Well..."

"Let me guess there was a small child about four who said they were lost... Knowing Cas he probably let them in without a single thought in the world." Steff says in disappointment as Bobby just nods his head.

"That angel is so..."

"Trusting, believe me I know."

"So what do we do?"

"Well I'll track her down and get Dean... unless you got a better idea."

"No not really, I'm gonna clean this mess up." Bobby says as he starts putting his house back together, and Steff just sighs as she snaps her fingers fixing everything.

"Go take a nap Bobby." Steff orders as she and Bobby walk up the stairs to the living room.

"Steff you sure?"

"Bobby I'm an angel here... Plus no one hurts my father figure." Steff says, with a determined smile.

"Really you're finally admitting that out loud?"

"Yeah well let's just say my brother was right."

"Sam?"

"No, Wes... apparently Heaven made him wise."

"You know I only met the kid once, but he seemed older beyond his years."

"Yeah he was... hell he still is."

"Dean!" Cas shouts frantically as he shows up next to them.

"Chill Cas, I already got this."

"Steff we need to go get him now!" Cas shouts at her frantically.

"Castiel, relax!" Steff orders as Cas just glowers at her.

"Dean..."

"Castiel sit down, shut up, and tell me why you just let a random child into the house." Steff commands and Cas just sits down obediently.

"He said he was lost."

"Dammit! Cas this is why you're not allowed to answer the door anymore." Steff tells him as she shakes her head in disappointment thinking the angel had to know better.

"Sorry."

"Yeah well, it's too late." Steff says as she looks at her watch and groans.

"For what?" Bobby asks.

"Dean is already a child by now... so it makes no sense to storm the building and frighten the other ones."

"What!" Cas shouts in frustration.

"How are you so calm about this?" Bobby asks Steff, who just closes her eyes and begins chanting in Gaelic. Steff doesn't answer as she is concentrating on a tracking spell, trying to locate Dean's soul amongst the billions of them in the world.

"Steff answer us!" Cas demands and Steff just narrows her eyes at him. Steff snaps her fingers and Cas is instantly gone.

"What the hell!" Bobby shouts and Steff just motions for him to sit.

"Faigh an aman an duine a lorg me'." Steff mutters and instantly Dean's location is put into her mind.

"Hello earth to Steff!"

"Bobby I got him, I'll be back in a minute." Steff says as she disappears.

"Idjit..." Bobby mutters as he crashes onto the couch and falls asleep.

Mara's lair

Steff flies to where the spell tells her Dean is, and instantly she can feel him in the large warehouse in front of her. She walks into the building with no hesitation; ready to smite anything that comes at her. However she is surprised when she sees the inside of the lair, it is basically like a smaller scale Disneyland.

"I want my mommy." A little boy says as he approaches Steff.

"Gordon I know it's you, now lead me to Mara." Steff says not falling for his usual tricks as he shifts into his adult form.

"Oh it's you, this way." Gordon says with disdain as he leads the angel to his mistress.

"Nice to see you too Gordon." Steff says with a sneer as they approach Mara, who is sitting in the middle of a circle of children reading the ugly duckling to them.

"Lady Mara, she's here." Gordon says quietly and Mara nods her head. Steff has no problem waiting for her to finish the book to the children. She looks around searching for Dean finding him sitting at a table by himself coloring. Steff flaps her wings discreetly, and Dean's ears instantly prick up the soft noise. He looks in the direction of the sound seeing Steff; he instantly gets up then sprints over to her.

"Steff!" Little Dean shouts and Steff can't hold back her smile at his high-pitched voice.

"Hey there Dean, wanna go home?" Steff asks as she picks up the six-year-old Dean.

"Steff please, this place is Hell."

"That bad?"

"So many kids, and she took my weapons." Dean says with a pout from Steff's arms.

"I'll get them." Steff reassures him, and Mara finishes the book coming over to the pair. Mara notices little Dean in her arms and smiles at him; he just turns his face into Steff's shoulder.

"I see you found him."

"Yes Mara I did, now give me the weapons." Steff orders and Mara snaps her fingers then Gordon comes over with a small back pack filled with the guns, and knives.

"That's what he came with." Mara answers as she touches Dean's hair. Steff just growls quietly and she steps back.

"How long and how far is he reverted?" Steff asks as she pulls Dean close to her.

"Well he still retains most of his memories like he knows you're his sister and his brother Sam... About age six, you know he has to be one of the most difficult children to deal with. He bit me!"

"Serves you right you stole him from his house and his angel... hell I'm surprised you didn't get killed or did you spell Gordon against Cas?"

"Spelled him and I give him about a month at most."

"A month, Steff I can't stay like this that long!" Dean cries out frantically from her shoulder as he twists in her grip to face them.

"Dean once she cast the spell it just has to run its course... I'm sorry I shouldn't have left you."

"No, I shouldn't have picked a fight earlier. I'm just glad you came back Angel." Dean says as he lays his head back on her shoulder and yawns loudly.

"Tired?"

"Yeah." He mumbles sleepily.

"Go to sleep, I'll take you back soon." Steff says and Dean just nods as he curls into Steff's grip then falls asleep quickly.

"Let me keep him for awhile, he's so precious."

"Mara by tomorrow he's going to be more than you can handle... hell I'm not even looking forward to this." Steff admits as she switches her arms, and little Dean just holds onto her tighter.

"Steffanie?" Mara asks as she observes the pair with a smile.

"Yes Mara?"

"You and him both deserve a better childhood." Mara says as she turns Steff into a child as well as she takes Dean from Steff. Steff just grimaces as she shrinks down to about the size of Dean although she still has her wings, which are fully functioning only more appropriately sized for this form.

"Mara what the hell!" Steff says in outrage.

"Steff you two can stay here with me and Gordon, we won't hurt you." Mara offers and Steff just stomps the ground in frustration.

"Mara give him to me now!" Steff demands as she can feel her powers coursing through her body still available. Mara just puts Dean down and Steff grabs the pack of weapons, and she holds Dean's hand. She barely manages to transport both of them out of the lair. Steff can't get them all the way to Bobbys so she is forced to land in the middle of a field. "Gabriel!" Steff shouts in desperation as she drops to the ground unconscious.

Gabriel's house

3 a.m.

Gabriel awakes from his sleep with Sam having heard someone call his name desperately. He sits up and Sam stirs next to him.

"Gabe what is it?" Sam asks groggily, this wasn't the first time his angel got called in the middle of the night.

"Nothing Sammy, I'll be back in a minute." Gabriel answers back and watches as Sam drifts back into sleep.

Field

When Gabriel flies to the call he finds a six-year-old Steff and a six-year-old Dean both in the field.

"Steff please wake up." Little Dean begs his sister who is unresponsive, he doesn't notice when Gabriel approaches.

"Dean?" Gabriel asks the little boy and he just nods.

"Gabriel she won't wake up." Dean says frantically and Gabriel puts a hand to her forehead.

"Shh Dean... she's alright just tired, it's hard for her to carry you and herself. She'll be fine in the morning." Gabriel assures him as he picks Steff then him up.

"Gabriel I can stand on my own."

"Dean just humor me, it's easier for me to carry you both like this while I'm flying." Gabriel says and Dean stops squirming as the angel takes flight.

Gabriel's house

4 a.m.

Gabriel takes them both back to his house not wanting to just drop them at Bobby's for the man to deal with. So he just puts them in the guest room, as soon as he gets there. He notices both of them fast asleep on his shoulder so he gently lays Steff down then Dean. As he does he notices how Dean pulls Steff closer to him and they both snore softly. Gabriel just smiles at them and leaves the room to find Sam waiting for him in the hallway.

"What happened?" Sam asks groggily as he scrubs his face trying to wake up a little.

"Just your sister and brother." Gabriel answers as he pulls Sam back into their room and onto the bed.

"Are they alright?" Sam asks worriedly as Gabriel pulls him close lying back on the bed.

"Yeah, just a spell... they'll be okay." Gabriel mumbles sleepily as he uses some of his powers to send Bobby a note explaining the situation.

"Gabe explain this to me."

"Tomorrow Sam... mmm tired." Gabriel whines and Sam just sighs in defeat as he closes his eyes going back to bed, "Sammy just lay down."

"Sure Gabe... no one's dead right?"

"Nope."

"Okay, night."

"Moose I love you, but seriously shut up."

"Okay." Sam says just messing with his archangel who just ignores him, and goes to sleep. Sam just chuckles as he pulls Gabriel closer to him then they slowly drift off into sleep.


	46. The Bitterness Between Siblings

Next morning

When Steff awakes she is surprised to find Dean's tiny arms wrapped around her. Also that she is a lot smaller then usually, Steff is about to shout but slowly the memories flow back to her.

"Awww hell!" Steff whispers harshly trying not to wake Dean up, however he was already awake so it didn't matter.

"Morning short stack." Dean says cheerily as he pets her dark fluffy wings.

"Fun-size, let go of me." Steff commands playfully as she wiggles out of his grip.

"So how do we get un-tiny?"

"We wait, Mara said it would ware off in a month or less."

"A MONTH!" Dean shouts at her not remembering much about last night, only that Steff had come to get him. However that only ended up getting herself zapped, then Gabriel had to come get them out of the field. Steff just puts her hands over her ears while grimacing in pain. Dean instantly lowers his voice as he looks at her with concern then says quietly, "Steff are you alright?"

"Yeah, my ears are just sensitive." Steff says to him as she lowers her hands from her ears.

"Oh, sorry." Dean says quieter, "But seriously a month."

"Sorry, but at least I got you out of there."

"That is a high point, however we're children now." Dean says as he gestures to his shrunken body with a small pout.

"Yeah it sucks." Steff agrees as she flaps her miniaturized wings with disdain.

"I feel like we should play hide and go seek right now." Dean purposes after a few minutes of silence, and Steff just shrugs in agreement.

"I could go for that... imagine Gabriel's face when he can't find us."

"That's a classic... alright where we going?"

"How about that closet, plenty of stuff to hide under."

"Okay." Dean replies as they both walk over the closet, open it, and they hide under the clothes. Steff just smiles as she pulls her knees up to her chest, and hides under some jackets fallen to the bottom of the closet. Dean does a similar thing as he pulls the closet door shut behind him. They both sit in the closet giggling just like mischievous children do when they hide.

Noon

"Steff, Dean!" Sam shouts impatiently as he wanders through the house, it's his fifth search for them. He thought it was funny a few hours ago, but now this was just annoying.

"Sam they're children, so think like a child for once in your life." Gabriel grumbles out tired of trying to find them. Steff had put up a barrier on her soul and Deans just to make things more difficult.

"Gabe we need to find them before Cas show's up, or Lucifer because if I had to guess they'll be pissed."

"Pissed about what Sam?" Lucifer asks wondering where his wife had gotten off to lately.

"Um... Gabriel knows."

"Thanks Sam… just throw me under the bus, seriously thanks."

"What?" Lucifer asks his patience running thin.

"Dean and Steff turned child... now they decided it would be fun to hide from us." Gabriel explains quickly and Lucifer just sighs.

"Did you check the closet Sam?" Lucifer asks as he walks into the guest room, and opens the door to find Steff sitting in a corner and Dean in the other.

"He's good Steff." Dean mumbles as he stands up and gets out of the closet.

"I know right, near impossible to hide from him." Steff tells him as she pulls herself out of the closet and stands next to Dean.

"Sweetheart, you're just predictable." Lucifer says as he picks up Steff and spins around.

"Lucifer put me down." Steff says with a laugh, "Seriously Luci, getting dizzy."

"Okay Heartbreaker."

"What did you just call my sister?" Dean asks combatively as he puffs out his little chest defensively.

"Dean chill." Sam says and Dean just crosses his arms as he narrows his eyes at the fallen angel, which is more cute than scary given the situation.

"Alright that's adorable... so what are we going to do now?" Gabriel asks the group.

"Breakfast!" Steff and Dean shout enthusiastically at the adults who just stare at the enthusiastic children with raised eyebrows.

"Guys its noon." Sam points out to them.

"And you're a puppy!" Steff says playfully as she snaps her fingers turning Sam into a puppy.

"Steff!" Sam barks out.

"Come on Sammy let's go for a walk." Steff says as she snaps a leash into existence, and begins walking out the door with Sam, "Dean coming?"

"Yeah!"

"Hey you three stay close to the house!" Gabriel shouts out after them. Lucifer just watches as the kids and puppy wander down the street to a nearby park.

"Gabriel what are we gonna do for a month?"

"Well I could come around more frequently or I'm sure Balthazar wouldn't mind..."

"Mind what?" Balthazar asks as he shows up.

"Watching Steff, and Dean." Lucifer says to him.

"They're adults, they don't need watching."

"Not recently, they got changed into children for like a month." Lucifer tells him.

"Oh well, that or Michael... he actually is Dean's guardian." Balthazar points out and Michael appears next to them with Cas who is pouting.

"I can help watch them." Michael confirms with head nod.

"Good... why is he pouting?" Gabriel asks him observing his brothers odd behavior.

"Because Steff forced him into my heaven last night, and apparently he didn't like that very much." Balthazar explains to them and watches as Cas sits on the couch angrily.

"Cas will you get over it." Lucifer says frustrated with his brother's immaturity.

"Yeah just build a freaking bridge already." Gabriel says to him and Cas hisses as he turns into a cat then sits on the window ledge.

About three hours later

Park

"Dean!" Steff shouts as she looks around for her brothers, "Sam come!" Sam runs over from the bushes. "Where's Dean?" Steff asks her puppy-brother.

"I don't know, to many kids to find him easily." Sam pants out as he runs over to Steff.

"We'll split up. You go that way, I'll go this way." Steff commands as Sam goes off wandering through the children getting petted by just about all of them. Steff however keeps searching until she hears Dean shout, and instantly runs towards where the sound came from. It was coming from behind a large black truck, where she sees Dean being dragged away by some strange man.

"Hey let go of him!" Steff shouts as she sprints towards the truck and Dean. The man just keeps dragging Dean toward the black truck. Steff just looks to Dean to see his eyes filled with terror and Steff wasn't gonna stand for that, cause no one scares her brothers but her… or their father.

"I said let go!" Steff commands authoritatively as she uses her powers to hold them still as she flies over to him.

"Little girl go back to the park." The man says as he stops to glare at her. However when he tries to move, he discovers that he can't. That's when he finally notices the little girl with black wings glaring at him, needless to say he's now terrified.

"Let go of my brother!" Steff shouts angrily as her little wings ignite with her eyes narrowed at the man. The man instantly drops Dean, but Steff isn't done with him as she uses her powers to strike him with lightning incinerating him. Dean just stares in shock as Steff turns her wings off and helps Dean up.

"You alright Dean." Steff asks in concern as she pulls Dean to his feet and dusts him off.

"Yeah Steff thanks for the help. Where's Sam?" Dean asks still a little shaken from his almost kidnap, which reminds of why he never let Steff out of his or Sam's sight.

"He was the distraction so I could save you." Steff says apologetically. As they wade through the children to find Sam in the middle being petted roughly by two or three children.

"Sammy come here." Dean says and Sam crawls toward them happily, but can't get far before a mother grabs the leash roughly.

"Come Sammy come." The mother commands as she drags the puppy away to take him home seeing as her son had so much fun with him. Sam fights the lady as he tries to get through the crowd but can't, Steff and Dean begin to panic.

"Lucifer!" Steff shouts in frustrated tears and he shows up next to her.

"What Sweetheart?" Lucifer asks wondering what could have upset his wife so much, and upon his arrival he notices a strange presence… but doesn't have time to think about it as Steff tugs his sleeve desperately.

"Luci, that lady is trying to take Sammy!" Steff cries out and Lucifer just picks her up then offers Dean a hand, which he takes gladly just to prevent a situation from before happening again. Lucifer walks over to the lady with her son dragging Sam away.

"Ma'am that is my daughter's puppy." Lucifer says calmly not wanting to scare the lady, just wanting to get Sam back.

"No this is my son's puppy now." The woman says with finality as she continues walking away; Sam just whimpers in panic.

"That is my daughter's puppy, give him back." Lucifer commands and the lady turns to him defiantly.

"Sir this puppy is going home with my son and I because he was a stray. I found him wandering around the park with no tags, check if you don't believe me." The mother states snippily and Lucifer puts Steff down next to Dean.

"Give me Sam now!" Lucifer commands and the sky began to darken while thunder rumbles. The lady noticing the change in weather, plus how this man looks like he's going to kill her. Relents while she hands the man the leash, and Steff rushes forward as she wraps Sam in a hug.

"Sammy!" Steff shouts happily as she tackles him, and licks her face causing her to laugh and Dean to laugh too.

"Thanks Lucifer." Dean says gratefully through his laughter as he pushes Sam off of him.

"Alright you three back to Gabriel's, I think you three have had enough excitement for one day. Sam I think you can be a person again." Lucifer says as he snaps his fingers turning Sam back into a person, but he feels something different about him. However Sam appears normal so Lucifer just goes with it too tired from his day in Hell to figure it out.

"Thanks man, Steff you're in trouble. You can't just turn me into a dog whenever you feel like it." Sam scolds her and she just looks down at the ground with remorse as she kicks the dirt.

"Sorry Sammy." Steff mutters quietly as she pouts her bottom lip and Sam just sighs then smiles at how cute she looks.

"It's okay, just warn a guy next time." Sam says in a less harsh tone as he picks her up; making sure she knows that's there is no hard feelings, and Dean approaches him too offering his tiny hand to Sam's large one. Sam just smiles as he takes his brother's little hand as they begin to walk back with Lucifer. Dean however becomes sleepy, and starts to lag so Lucifer just picks him up gently.

"Put me down." Dean says groggily as he weakly squirms in his arms.

"Hush little hunter, don't you cry. Luci's gonna sing you a lullaby and when you wake upon the morn, there will probably a vampire victim in the morgue. After you go kill that vampire bitch, you'll probably head after a stupid witch. While hunting the witch you might find that your skin begins to crawl. Upon feeling that crawl you sense an upcoming brawl..." Lucifer sings quietly and Sam watches as Dean's eyelids flutter shut as he lays his head on Lucifer's shoulder.

"Wow Lucifer that was... interesting." Sam praises the angel quietly who just smiles.

"Yeah well music has always been a strong point for me." Lucifer tells Sam quietly as to not wake Dean or Steff. Sam just nods as they get back to the house to find Gabriel dragging Cas across the ground by his wings into the back yard.

"Sam take Dean, go inside. I need to see what this is about." Lucifer says in concern as he hands Dean gently over to Sam. He just nods and goes inside with them; Sam puts them both on the couch then puts a blanket over them. Sam then exits the house seeing as both of them are asleep, but leaves the door open in case they need them.

Outside

"Cas just get out of here!" Gabriel shouts at his brother angrily while drawing his blade. Cas says nothing as he gets up and flares his wings also brandishing his blade. Lucifer seeing this; he rushes over and jumps between them.

"Guys drop the blades, we can talk this out."

"Shut up Lucifer, your first response to everything is violence!" Gabriel shouts angrily at him as he tenses his muscles ready to jump at Cas.

"Wait Gabe stop!" Sam pleads as he rushes out to them. However Cas had let his powers go and it strikes Sam right through the middle, causing him to drop to the ground like a rock.

House

"SAMMY!" Steff shouts in panic suddenly as she bolts up off the couch, jolting Dean awake in the process and just follows his panicked sister out the door.

Outside

She sprints out to where Sam is lying on the ground with Gabriel and Lucifer standing over him in shock. Steff looks for the culprit and sees Cas there staring without a shred of remorse, but something feels wrong about him… she just doesn't know what.

"SAM!" Dean cries out when he sees his brother on the ground spitting up blood.

"Dean I'm al..."

"Sam no, Sammy!" Dean cries out in anguish as his brother is dying in his tiny arms.

"Dean it's okay I'll save him." Lucifer says as he pushes his power into Sam's dying body.

"Lucifer it's not working!" Gabriel tells him frantically as he can feel his lover fading fast, "Steff do something!"

The panic in his voice tugs Steff from her thoughts as she turns from Cas to face them.

"He's fine, that's not Sam." Steff states confidently as she approaches the body, and watches as it turns into a puddle of mush. Leaving Dean and the angels in shock and confusion. "You are not Castiel either." She accuses and the 'Cas' backs away from her as she continues toward him; her tone turning darker and darker with each word, "That hasn't been Sam since the park, and you haven't been Cas since you showed up earlier… Have you?"

"Such an intuitive little angel... But you are correct." The thing says in a syrupy voice and Steff instantly recognizes the tone.

"Your one of Mara's aren't you?"

"Correct, I came for you and Dean." The beast says as it shifts into a humanoid form, it looks like a werewolf, but without the ears or teeth. Plus the fur is a dark scarlet, with blood red eyes and claws.

"Name." Steff demands forcefully as she approaches it with no fear in her voice at all.

"Herald, now if you will come with me we can be there before dinner." Herald says politely as he extends his hands, which have shifted to normal human hands.

"No, where are they?" Steff questions angrily as her wings flare out covered in fire.

"The puppy is safe, and the angel is still in Heaven."

"Where is Sam?" Steff demands and thunder begins to sound as the sky clouds up with dark black clouds.

"If you come with me Sam will be returned to you, and you three can spend the rest of your time at the compound." Herald assures the young angel, but that's not the answer she wants.

"I will not ask again!" Steff threatens and lightning strikes a nearby tree. Lucifer picks Dean up. Then Gabriel stands next to them protectively in case Steff decides to make a tornado, or some other kind of inclement weather.

"Sam is with that family from earlier." Herald shouts above the thunder as he tries to flee, but Steff uses her snakes to hold him there as she walks over to him drawing her blade. She makes a small slit on Heralds wrists then she pushes thousands of tiny fire snakes into his body. Then she listens with a smile as the creature let's out awful noises as it burns to death from the inside out. Dean's eyes just go wide in terror and so do Gabriels having never seen Steff do that. Lucifer just grimaces and quickly turns Dean around, away from his sister's inner sadist.

"I don't think you need to see that Dean." Lucifer says as little Dean begins to shake in his arms. "It's alright Dean, just be glad she's on our side."

"Lucifer can we go inside?" Dean asks him as he buries his head into his shoulder, he's seen his sister do a lot but never his sister so… so cruel.

"Sure Dean... Yeah I think that's best. You hungry?"

"No... I want Sammy." Dean says as he pulls out of Lucifer's grip.

"Steff will probably go get him in a minute." Lucifer assures the frightened child.

"What if she hurts the family?" Dean questions with worry, images of the little boy being tortured by his sister causing him to shake a little in his seat.

"She won't Dean, she only does that to evil creatures." Lucifer assures Dean as he snaps a cheeseburger into existence for him in the kitchen.

"Lucifer has she always fought like that?" Gabriel asks still a little shocked having never seen Steff been that ruthless. Let alone smile while doing it, he just sits down next to Dean at the table almost as shaken as him.

"Gabriel I'll tell you later." Lucifer says as he gestures to Dean. Gabriel just nods in understanding. All three of them sit down at the table and Lucifer puts the plate in front of Dean who just stares at it… not hungry after watching his sister do that.

"I raised a monster... she's a monster… Azazel was right, he always said I would fail…" Dean mutters quietly and the two angels just flinch at the word.

"Dean she is a lot of things, but a monster is not one of them and what does Azazel have to do with anything? How many times have you ever seen her fight like that?" Lucifer asks him and Dean just shakes his head.

"This is the first time... but did you see her out there."

"Dean she's fierce when it comes to defending Sam, you, or anyone else she deems worth saving." Lucifer says to him and watches, as the boy's eyes slowly get smaller. But before Lucifer can defend her anymore she shows up with Sam in adult form.

"I... got him." Steff says quietly as she leans against the wall tired from using her powers, and flying Sam back. Dean just gets up and leaves, eyes on the floor avoiding Steff's curious gaze.

"What happened, is he hurt?" Sam asks with worry as he sees the uneaten food.

"No he is just… surprised." Lucifer tells him and he watches as Steff realizes how Dean must think of her after she killed the monster. She just quietly exits the kitchen with a downcast look. "Steff." Lucifer calls after her, feeling through the bond her inner self-hatred.

"I'm going to bed." Steff shouts sadly from the upstairs guest room as she shuts the door. However she doesn't get on the bed rather she curls up in the closet. "He hates me because I'm a monster." Steff whispers to herself as she stops the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "I've always been a monster…. Azazel was right." She tells herself bitterly as she falls asleep.

Next Morning

When Lucifer wakes up the next morning in Hell he takes a shower then goes to Gabriel's house to find Steff and Dean. For some reason little Dean has really made an impression on him…. Maybe it was because he was so much easier to be around, realized he didn't have to be a big brother right now… not that he really could be.

"I guess when the guy isn't being a dick he really is a nice guy." Lucifer remarks as he pops into the living room where Dean is watching TV.

"Lucifer!" Dean exclaims happily as the angel shows up on the couch next to him. Dean just crawls over and sits next to him closely. Lucifer just smiles as he wraps his wings around Dean and Dean just snuggles into his side.

"Dean where is your sister?" Lucifer asks curiously as he looks around for his miniaturized mate.

"She's in the closet and won't come out, keeps muttering something about monsters." Dean answers him and Lucifer looks down at Dean in confusion.

"What do you mean Dean?"

"She just won't come out, Sammy has been up there for hours trying to talk her out." Dean tells him and Lucifer just picks Dean up, as he gets off the couch then heads upstairs to where he hears Sam pleading with her.

"Steff come on out please… I promise you're not a monster."

"No Sam, I am and monsters live in closets."

"Steff what are you talking about?"

"Just go away Sam!" Steff shouts bitterly and Sam just shakes his head noticing Lucifer and Dean walk in.

"Sam what's going on here?" Lucifer asks as he goes to put Dean down, but he just clings to him. "Dean get down please."

"Sorry, Lucifer it's like a reflex."

"It's alright, why don't you go find Gabriel I hear he is playing outside?" Lucifer suggests to him, and Dean runs downstairs then outside to find Gabriel. Once Deans out of the room Lucifer goes over to the closet and knocks on it.

"Steff, Sweetheart can you open the door?" Lucifer asks gently, feeling how delicate she is through the bond.

"No Luci, monsters live in closets so that's where I have to live from now on."

"Steff who told you were a monster?"

"I heard Dean say it." Steff says with hurt in her voice, and Lucifer can hear her voice crack.

"Sweetheart he didn't mean it, he was just frightened by you."

"Only monsters scare their families."

"I'm not scared of you Steff." Sam says confidently, and Steff opens the door a crack.

"Really?" Steff asks warily as Sam approaches the doorway.

"Nope."

"Even when I do this?" Steff asks as she acts like last night watching Sam for any change in demeanor, but sees nothing.

"See I told you, you can't be a monster; cause I'm not scared of you." Sam says and Steff runs over to Sam as she wraps herself around him. Sam just smiles and picks her up.

"But why would Dean say that then?" Steff asks with her eyes full of hurt.

"Steff he's never seen you like that so he was just a little scared, but I don't think he meant it." Sam explains to her and watches as she nods her head in understanding.

"Sam?"

"What Steff?"

"Woof." Steff says playfully as she turns him into a puppy and herself a kitten.

"Steff again." Sam groans out as he huffs in disdain.

"Come on Sammy!" Steff says as she runs out of the room, her paws slipping on the hardwood for and sliding right through the rails on the stairs.

"Steff!" Lucifer shouts as he barely catches her before she hits the ground.

"Thanks Luci, Sam keep up." Steff orders as she jumps out of Lucifer's grip, and out the back door with Sam right behind her.

"Get back here you two!" Lucifer commands, and is only met with Steff's defiant laughter.

"Make me." Steff taunts as she runs out to Dean and Gabriel with Sam in tow, followed by an angry Lucifer.

"Steffanie Marie Winchester get your kitten ass over here!" Lucifer shouts angrily, and Steff instantly stops in her tracks. She doesn't go back, but she waits for him to catch up at least.

"Sorry Lucifer."

"It's alright just stop doing that." He says as Steff just rolls her eyes and starts running towards the people outside again. Dean notices the addition of Steff and Sam, he makes a beeline for Sam.… but when Steff walks over he walks away. At first Steff brushes it off with a confused look, but by the third time she gets pissed and her tail twitches in frustration.

Late afternoon

"Balthazar." Steff calls out quietly so the other angels don't hear, and when Balthazar arrives. He finds a little Steff tapping her foot angrily while glaring at her older brother.

"Hey Darling, what's up?" Balthazar says cheerily, but changes his demeanor slightly when he notices Steffs.

"Can we go somewhere that's not here?" She asks agitatedly while shifting her wings from black to a very angry looking red.

"Sure... How's Heaven sound?" Balthazar asks a little concerned having never seen Steff's wings that color.

"That's fine…. Can we go to yours cause yours is warm, and we could go swimming?" Steff asks in a better mood then she was in when Balthazar arrived. Her wings shifting back to their normal black as Balthazar just picks her up glad to help cheer her up.

"Let me just tell Lucifer." Balthazar says and he feels Steff's wings stiffen at the mention of his name. "It'll be real quick, promise." Balthazar promises and Steff just buries her face into Balthazar's shoulder as she wraps her arms around his neck. He just sighs as he holds her tightly, wondering what's upset her now.

"Hey Balthazar." Lucifer says and he notices Steff clinging to the angel's shoulder. Lucifer had Dean in his arms, at the time he had been tossing him up in the air then catching him.

"I'm taking Steff with me, she wants to leave."

"Umm... alright, Steff do you want me to come by later?" Lucifer asks in slight confusion.

"No Lucifer, I can see you have a new Winchester to play with." Steff mutters bitterly and it catches Lucifer off guard so he just nods solemnly. Balthazar shrugs as he and Steff leave. Gabriel and Sam who had been standing off to the side look at each other having heard the last comment in confusion. Lucifer just shrugs then continues playing with Dean, who just looks like he's having the time of his life; so Sam just sighs and they go back to having fun.

Dinnertime

Sam makes some grilled cheese for dinner and they all sat at the dinner table like a real family… except for the one seat that went unfilled. It was the one to the left of Lucifer and to the right of Cas; even he had managed to show up. At first no one says anything, but Cas being the bluntest of the group breaks the silence.

"Where is Steff?"

"With Balthazar." Lucifer replies icily as he takes a drink of his water.

"Oh." Cas says feeling the temperature shift in the room. Dean and Sam begin to shiver, and Lucifer snaps out of it turning the room back to its original temperature.

"Sorry."

"It's okay." Gabriel answers as he looks at anyone but Lucifer, not wanting to ruin his good mood.

"When are you guys gonna leave our house?" Sam asks impatiently as he looks at them.

"Moose kinda rude much." Gabriel points out and Sam just groans.

"Dean you wanna go to Bobbys or Lucifers?" Sam asks quickly. He and Gabriel hadn't had sex in a couple days so he was on edge. He was a man and he had needs.

"Can I go with you Lucifer?" Dean asks with a hopeful look. Lucifer knows this was one of the reasons Steff had left, but he doesn't have the heart to tell the little guy no.

"Sure Dean, unless Cas wants you to go with him."

"Not really, I can't do much with him like this... Plus having non-angelic children is dangerous in Heaven." Cas tells him and Dean just shrugs in understanding.

"It's okay Cas... Can I go visit the brothers?"

"Who?" Lucifer asks not really sure who Dean means.

"I think it was Pyro and Pytho... I like their Hellhounds, Adagio was soft and Faith was really nice." Dean tells him and Lucifer searches his mind looking for anything that might not be Dean, but finds nothing suggesting otherwise.

"I don't see why not. Cas you got any objections?"

"No if he wants to go I'm okay with it."

"So it's settled, I'll take Dean with me and you two can have your house back." Lucifer says and Sam just sighs in relief, Gabriel just laughs.

"Really that bad Moose?"

"Shut up, Gabe."

They just finish dinner then everyone takes their leave. Cas goes up to Heaven to see how Steff is and Dean goes to Hell with Lucifer.

About three weeks later

Lucifer's house in Hell

"Dean!" Lucifer shouts having not seen him yet this morning and after the first week where he lost Dean, he made sure to keep track of him.

"Hey Lucifer guess whose not a child anymore?" Dean says as he walks downstairs to find Lucifer reading a book about torture methods.

"What Dean I wasn't... Oh hey your you again."

"Yup so can you send me to Bobbys?"

"Sure no problem, hey if you see Steff tell her I miss her."

"No problem, wait why don't you just go up and tell her yourself?"

"Last time I went, she struck me with lightning."

"Oh yeah I remember that… Did you ever figure out why she was mad at you?"

"I think she was jealous of all the time I spent with you."

"No she wouldn't get jealous of that… she isn't the type, do you remember what happened that day."

"Yeah that was the day she hid in the closet, and kept calling herself a monster."

"Wait... Oh shit!" Dean says in realization and Lucifer just looks to his friend.

"What?"

"That was after I saw her burn that creature alive..."

"Weren't you scared of her for like the rest of the week?"

"Yeah and... this is my fault man."

"Dean it's alright, I'll talk to her."

"No I gotta talk to her, it's my fault dude... knowing her she probably still thinks she's a monster."

"Dean you were like five years old, that's pretty scary for a child."

"Yeah, but I should have known."

"Alright well at least we know what went wrong, hopefully she hasn't gone crazy since then… well anymore than usual." Lucifer says with a smile as he transports them to Balthazar's heaven.

Balthazar's Heaven

When Dean and Lucifer arrive they find Balthazar lying in the sun next to a bush of indigo roses, and Steff nowhere to be seen.

"Yo, Balthazar!" Dean shouts and Balthazar sits up.

"Dean it's nice to see you again, normal size and all."

"Yeah it feels good to be me again. Have you seen Steff?"

"Actually she hasn't been here in like two weeks. She left after she struck you with lightning." Balthazar says as he gestures to Lucifer.

"What?"

"Yeah, last I heard she was in Cas' heaven you could try there."

"Why did you just let her go?" Lucifer asks angrily having not heard about her movements.

"Well she promised to stay in Heaven, so I didn't see anything wrong with it... It's Heaven after all." Balthazar says to him as he stands up, and dusts the sand off of his wings.

"Hey Balthazar did she say anything while she was here?"

"Umm... not much other than comparing herself to a monster for an hour or two... but other then that she was an angel." Balthazar tells them, "Now if you excuse me boys I have a charge to save."

"Thanks and bye." Dean says as he looks to Lucifer for suggestions.

"Let's try Cas." Lucifer says as he puts a hand on Dean's shoulder.

Cas' Heaven

Lucifer transports Dean to Cas' heaven, which is a giant meadow, filled with dark blue roses with a few white lilies scattered throughout it. They find Cas sitting next to Michael in the middle of the meadow discussing the future of humanity.

"Hey have you guys seen Steff?" Dean asks as they wander over to the men.

"Actually no, not since about a week ago." Michael answers him.

"Really… did she say anything about where she might go?" Lucifer asks them.

"No, but you might try Wes. He is where I locked her up the first time Lucifer." Cas tells them and they just nod.

Steff's Heaven

"How many Heavens are there?" Dean asks Lucifer as they land on the tundra plain.

"Too many to count. Why does your sister always pick these kinds of places?" Lucifer asks Dean and he just shrugs, they both watch as a blonde wolf approaches them.

"It is to reflect the cold she always feels on the inside... Kind of ironic if you ask me… her being an angel of fire and all." Wes tells them and the guys' just stare at the wolf in disbelief.

"You look familiar..."

"I'm Wes, Steff's other older brother." Wes says to them.

"Oh, I'm Lucifer her mate and this is Dean her eldest brother." Lucifer explains to him and Dean just nods.

"So you're the man who managed to convince our sister she can only be... well that's not important, but you're the guy who made her think she's a monster... Really good work Dean, seriously real nice." Wes says to him accusatorily as he taps his paw in annoyance.

"Um..."

"Seriously 'um' is the best you got? And you're the father figure in her life, jesus I should have never let her leave here." Wes says in disappointment. Lucifer just raises his eyebrows at the blonde wolf.

"Kinda harsh Wes." Lucifer says as he looks to the wolf in surprise.

"Yeah don't get me started on you Lucifer... the man who ripped her soul to shreds then tried to piece it back together with a paperclip. Have you any idea of the damage you did in there?" Wes asks him and Lucifer just shakes his head in no.

"Hey I did my..."

"You inhumane, son of a bitch. Your best! Your best would have been, to never do it!"

"But…."

"God help me you bastard, you know because of you two combined she has a savior complex bigger than all of Heaven... she refuses to let herself be happy because she is convinced she ruined your life Dean. Did you know that?" Wes shouts at them.

"No, why would she think that?"

"Maybe it's because she..."

"Wes chill it's not their faults I'm like this... hell if we had to blame someone we may as well blame God for this... But somehow I don't think that would be fair either." Steff says as she approaches the men and wolf.

"Steff you're not a monster." Lucifer says to her.

"And you didn't ruin my life." Dean adds quickly.

"Well that's nice, but what are you guys doing here?"

"We came to get you."

"So now she's an object for you to get." Wes says defensively as he moves to Steff's side protectively. Lucifer growls and moves toward him.

"Alright down boys." Steff says holding her hands up in a 'whoa' gesture to Lucifer who stops and moves back to Dean's side.

"I also came to say I'm sorry for the way I treated you it was totally un-cool."

"Dean it's cool, I shouldn't have done that around you... it's only fair for you to react like that."

"Steff this is your 'father' for the love of god! He shouldn't ever even think that to begin with!" Wes says as he narrows his eyes at Dean.

"Wes…"

"No Steff, I'm sorry that I left you that weekend and I'm sorry that the I got turned into a werewolf… Truly I am, but after meeting these two I can't… no I won't let you go back to this." Wes says as he begins to herd her away from them.

"Wes I think you're over reacting a bit."

"Steff just come on." Wes says as he keeps pushing her away from them, and Lucifer just bristles while his wings stiffen.

"Wes stop!" Steff cries out as he pushes her wing roughly.

"I believe our sister told you to stop wolf boy." Dean says authoritatively as he walks over to Steff offering a hand.

"Grrr."

"Don't growl at my brother, Wes."

"Grrr." Wes just continues to growl as Lucifer walks over.

"Don't you dare growl at my mate either!" Steff exclaims angrily as he continues growling. Steff who has had enough of this snaps her fingers and he disappears. "I swear he wasn't like that last time I talked to him."

"Sweetheart…"

"What Luci?"

"I think he had a point." Lucifer admits to her with a regretful look.

"About what?"

"About how I shredded your soul. I think he's right, I basically gave you a…"

"Lucifer, Wes knows a lot of things but he was wrong about the paperclip theory…. You were my super glue so… yeah." Steff responds feeling a little awkward with having Dean here.

"Really?" Lucifer asks doubtfully as he hugs her.

"Yeah Luci, so why did you come here again?"

"Well… uh… I missed you… plus…"

"Plus what?" Steff asks not really understanding him and Dean just laughs.

"Lucifer will you just tell her already."

"Shut up Dean, in fact go find Cas." Lucifer tells him and Dean just nods as he leaves the heaven.

"So you were saying?"

"I…"

"Hey sorry I don't mean to interrupt, but are you and Dean like bro's now?" Steff asks, noticing how much closer the two were than when she left.

"Yeah, actually when he was in Hell we bonded in a brotherly sense."

"Awe, I'm so proud of you." Steff says as she rubs his wings affectionately and since it's been a long time since either of them were intimate it becomes rather distracting for him.

"Thanks… but we were really compatible… once I got past the whole 'he killed a bunch of my demons and all.' Turns out him and Pyro really got along too… they're both fantastic at the game of bullshit." Lucifer explains as he leans into Steff's rubbing.

"Wait you let him visit them?"

"Yeah why not?"

"I'm surprised they lived through that, anyways go on."

"You know he really does think of you as his daughter." Lucifer says and he sees Steff's wings stiffen as she pulls away from him.

"I…"

"Sweetheart it's not a bad thing."

"No, it's not that…. It's just."

"Hard to explain."

"A little, but weren't you saying something before this little epiphany of mine."

"Yeah I was wondering if we could have…"

"Sex, please let that finish the sentence?" Steff asks a little on edge having not slept with him in what seemed like forever. Lucifer just nods as he pulls her in for a deep kiss. Steff just reciprocates passionately, and neither of them objects when they have sex on the cold tundra ground.


	47. Come to my tundra, and I'll show you the snow

Two hours later

"Steff, what is with the cold weather in here?" Lucifer asks as he wraps them up in a thick blanket he created after snapping some pajamas on himself and Steff.

"Well Wes was right about that earlier." Steff admits ashamedly and Lucifer notices this, and then pulls her closer to him.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"No you do, just try to explain it to me."

"Maybe it's because cold is a constant, it never changes… When I fly to Antarctica or Alaska I can count on the cold always being there."

"But why do you need to feel cold?"

"Because…"

"No the correct answer is no. Steff you should never feel cold, in fact you're an angel of fire… I feel like that's like a law somewhere." Lucifer says as he kisses her neck. Steff just smiles as he rolls over so he's on top of her, and continues kissing her. He continues kissing her and begins to rub her thighs. However when he stops kissing her lips, and moves down to her neck he sees that she has fallen asleep on him.

"Steff?" Lucifer asks her quietly as he stops to look at her.

"…" Steff doesn't reply except for the soft snores he hears from her.

"You know she hasn't slept in weeks son?" God says as he enters the heaven. Lucifer just freezes when he hears his father's voice.

"Dad what do you want?" Lucifer asks sharply as he lies down next to Steff and pulls her close, not even getting up to greet his father. God notices this and is a little disheartened, especially when he notices how his son could care less about his appearance.

"Do you really hate me that much?" God asks his son sadly.

"Dad do we have to do this now? It's kinda awkward." Lucifer asks as he gestures to Steff while he pulls her tightly to him.

"Lucifer do not answer me with a question."

"Don't ask stupid questions Dad." Lucifer mutters quietly.

"I didn't come here to pick a fight Luc."

"I told you not to call me that, I'm not a youngling anymore…. Besides what do you want if it's not a fight?" Lucifer asks as Steff rolls over so she is facing him snuggled into his chest.

"I wanted you to know that I finally figured out the answer to Steff's question."

"What question?"

"I fight for you, my son… I fight for your love and the love of your brothers and sisters."

"What!" Lucifer asks in shock as he let's go of Steff gently wrapping her in the blanket then standing up to face his father.

"I want all my sons and daughters to love me… and for the most part you all do but… you, Michael, Gabriel, and Balthazar. You seem to be the only ones who don't, and I can't understand why."

"Dad you've tried to kill me multiple times, and you forced Michael to almost kill me a few of those times… death threats tend to cause animosity."

"But I just wanted to protect them from you and your outlandish ideals."

"Well back in the day my ideas were a bit… radical." Lucifer admits with a shrug.

"Why are the others mad though?"

"The only thing I could think of for Gabriel is the fact that you left us. He still has some serious abandonment issues… explains why he is so clingy with Sam sometimes. However I have no idea why Balthazar dislikes you though." Lucifer admits to his father, secretly glad they're speaking again. It never feels good to be hated by your father.

"You know I remember when you and Michael used to have the same wings… I remember how I would mix you guys up before Michael's got indigo in them… Plus yours turned black also your hair darkened." God says as he ruffles his son's hair with a smile.

"Why did that happen Dad?" Lucifer asks with a huff as he puts his hair back in its correct place.

"Well originally you two were meant to be twins, but I decided that I wanted to separate my first sons with distinctive qualities; however when I did it… I might have been a little to enthusiastic…. sorry about that."

"It's okay, hell everyone makes mistakes."

"I'm sorry Lucifer, I really truly am."

"I know Dad, I know." Lucifer says with understanding as he approaches his father. Having not done this since his childhood so very long ago it's a little awkward, maybe even a bit to tight, but God smiles as his rebellious son walks over and hugs him. At first God wasn't sure what to do, but he just relaxes and returns the gesture just like he had done so many years ago.

"I love you Morning Star, and you will always be my son. You know that right?" God says as he feels something wet on his face.

"I love you to Dad, are you crying?" Lucifer asks as he pulls away from his father to see tears running down his face.

"I think… I… Lucifer what am I feeling?"

"Dad I can't tell you what you're feeling, you gotta describe it."

"Bitter, sad, and… I think its called regret."

"Well I feel like that would fit the situation."

"Lucifer, it feels awful…. No wonder the Keshet cries sometimes, I'm surprised she doesn't do this more often." God says in surprise realizing that his Keshet was a lot stronger than he previously thought.

"Yeah, anyways that'll go away when you fix it."

"How do I fix this?"

"Go talk to them, start with Balthazar."

"Why?"

"Because he will probably be the most difficult."

"Oh… Where is he?"

"Umm… take a left at the Carvel heaven then go about five hundred feet and take a right. Should be straight ahead, his is the one with the sunshine and the beach." Lucifer explains with smile as he watches his father leave with determination. Once his father is gone he turns to see Steff still asleep with the blanket wrapped around her. Lucifer just picks her up and she curls into his grip. He smiles as he begins to walk around her heaven looking for Dean however he doesn't see him. He then checks Cas' heaven but finds nothing; he looks in Michael's and Balthazar's, but still no Dean. During his search Steff wakes up and helps him search through them.

An hour later

"Lucifer we have checked hundreds of these." Steff groans to Lucifer grumpily, still tired. She'd much rather be snuggling with Lucifer rather than searching for Dean right now.

"I know." Lucifer says as he just sighs in frustration.

"Why didn't you just take him to Cas?" Steff asks as she pokes her head into another heaven, but still no Dean.

"Because that would have ruined the moment." Lucifer says as he walks over to her.

"Well this is definitely ruining the afterglow." Steff mutters as she checks another.

"We could always try again later." Lucifer suggests seductively as Steff just rolls her eyes. After searching through some more heavens Steff begins to actually think where Dean might go.

"Mary…. Lucifer take me to Mary Winchester!" Steff says after thinking for a few minutes.

"Sure." Lucifer says cursing himself for not thinking of that earlier as he grabs Steff's hand and transports them to Mary's heaven. When they get there Steff notices the heaven is basically like a horse ranch. There are hundreds of horses everywhere. At one end of the heaven is a ranch style house, but on the other end there is a large meadow where a multitude of horses graze and wander. Lucifer just smiles when he remembers Dean's natural riding ability.

"It must have come from his mother." Lucifer says to Steff as he gestures towards the horses.

"Dean's riding ability?"

"Yeah, how did you know that?"

"Before my mother died, John would take me riding. He said his wife really loved it, and had a passion for it." Steff tells Lucifer. They both approach the house to find it full of laughter. Steff knocks on the door and they both politely wait for someone to answer the door.

"Steff? Lucifer?" Dean says as he answers the door.

"Yeah Dean." Steff says cheerily as she and Lucifer enter the house.

"Steffanie Marie Winchester, I have always dreamed of making your acquaintance." Mary says in reverence of the young woman in front of her.

"Mrs. Winchester it's an honor to meet you… and thanks." Steff says with the same amount of reverence in her tone.

"For what Steffanie?" Mary questions curious as to what the girl could possibly be thanking her for.

"Taking the lock off of my soul… for allowing it to grow into what I am today."

"It was no problem really. When John had sex with that woman I knew whatever was made in the process would need all the help she could get… plus being a Winchester didn't help either… let's just say I knew it would be interesting."

"Also for having such an amazing sons."

"Steff."

"What Mrs. Winchester?"

"I would like to thank you for all the times you have saved my sons… also I'm sorry about John he can be very… neglectful sometimes. Dean however is not, and I thank God for that everyday." Mary says as she looks to her son with a smile.

"It's no trouble, they've saved my ass a few times before." Steff responds with a smile; Mary just laughs quietly as she gives Dean a hug.

"Now shouldn't you all be going before Sammy starts to worry?" Mary says as she pulls away from Dean both with tears in their eyes.

"Mom I love you."

"Dean I will always love you and Sam remember that… when you see your father next tell him I miss him." Mary says and walks away from Dean who walks to Lucifer and Steff.

"Mrs. Winchester I would just like to apologize…" Lucifer starts, but Mary cuts him off.

"For what Lucifer?"

"Azazel, had I known…"

"But you didn't and it wasn't your order so my wayward angel you have nothing to be sorry for, besides where would we be now if he hadn't." Mary answers and Lucifer just nods his head.

"Does Heaven make everyone wise?" Steff asks quietly.

"No not everyone Steff, but most yes." Mary responds with a smile and waves as she watches them disappear back down to earth.

Earth

When they reach earth Steff transports them all to the Gabriel's house because that's where the Impala is.

"Well Dean I think I'm going to go to Hell for awhile." Steff tells her brother and watches as Dean just goes over to the Impala with a smile.

"Hey feel free to visit me once in awhile." Dean says as he starts up the Impala and drives off. Steff and Lucifer just watch as the Impala drives away down the road. Once the Impala is gone Lucifer grabs Steff's hand, and flies them both down to their house in Hell.


	48. Teach me a lesson I'll remember

A couple of days later

One pm

For the last couple of days Steff had been in Hell with Lucifer. While she was there she figured she could repaint the house.

"Lucifer do like this one better or this one?" Steff asks him as she paints one section a light blue and another a royal blue.

"Sweetheart I really don't care."

"Lucifer…"

"Steff just paint it how you want, but as much as I enjoy debating paint colors with you I need to go talk to Bahzemet and Crowley. Would you like to take a break and come with?" Lucifer asks as Steff turns to face him.

"No I really want to get this done, tell them I said hi." Steff says as she gives Lucifer a quick kiss as he walks out the door.

"Sure, Steff… oh this might take me awhile so don't wait up."

"Okay Luci." Steff responds as she goes back to painting. Eventually Steff decides just to paint the living room a sapphire blue and with the black furniture she finds that it compliments well. She then goes to the kitchen and paints it just a shade lighter.

A couple of hours later

When Steff finally gets done painting the house she notices the killer headache she has. Thinking that it's probably just from the paint fumes Steff opens the house up, and then she uses her powers to create a gentle breeze. While the house airs out Steff goes outside in an attempt to get rid of the headache, but it does nothing to help it. She can't help, but grimace as the pain worsens, becoming a sharp angry pounding against her skull. Then it transforms into a high-pitched voice, as though it was trying to force her to understand something. Steff tries to open her eyes, but the pain only intensifies so she keeps them shut. In about a minute she begins to feel blood leaking out of her ears. Steff falls to her knees in an attempt to escape the intense pain then let's out a blood-curdling scream.

Meanwhile

Lucifer had been on his way back from Crowley's when he hears the scream. He instantly recognizes it as Steff's and flies quickly to the house. When Lucifer gets there he finds Steff kneeling on the ground with her eyes closed, and her hands over her ears. He can see blood running down her neck.

"Steff what's wrong?" Lucifer asks frantically because he can't hear or feel anything that would cause her pain.

"Luci, make it stop." Steff pleads with him as she whimpers quietly.

"Stop what Steff? There is nothing to stop!" Lucifer says frantically trying to figure out what is causing her so much pain.

"The voice, Lucifer the voice." She cries weakly against him.

"Steff it's just you and I talking." Lucifer says as he puts his hand to her head to figure out what she is feeling and instantly understands her pain. "FATHER STOP!" Lucifer shouts and he feels how the voice stops.

"Lucifer, what I was trying to ask Steff something?" God asks trying to figure out what the problem was, as he shows up on the porch with them. But when he sees Steff he understands the problem. God watches as Lucifer puts his hand on Steff's shoulder, and heals the wounds.

"Dad you can't just do that to her." Lucifer scolds his father who just looks at her sympathetically.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize she wasn't fluent in our language." God says apologetically to her as she stands up with wobbly legs.

"It's alright… Lucifer are my ears still bleeding?"

"No Steff I fixed them."

"Thanks, so what were you trying to ask me God?"

"Why couldn't you understand me?" God asks her in confusion, all of his angels knew Enochian.

"I don't know." Steff says with a shrug as she wipes the blood off her neck.

"Lucifer didn't you ever teach her Enochian?" God asks and Lucifer just looks down at his feet. "Seriously Luc, for the love of me!"

"Dad I was going to teach her eventually." Lucifer says defensively. He actually had planned on teaching her, but they had both gotten busy… so her education had gone uncompleted. However when she was in Hell during the process of turning her angelic, he had made sure she got a high school education…. He was lucky that some teachers had been sinners.

"Lucifer we'll talk about this later, but anyways back to Steff. I need you to take over Heaven for a few days."

"What?" Steff asks in shock.

"Yeah I'm taking Castiel, Michael, Gabriel, Balthazar, and Lucifer with me for a couple of days."

"What!" Lucifer and Steff both exclaim in unison shock.

"Yes Lucifer, when I was talking to Samuel Winchester he suggested some family bonding time. But I didn't know what that was so he had to explain that too… however I came up with an activity for all of us to do." God says with pride at having figured out a way to reconnect with his sons.

"Father you realize I just can't drop everything and go right?"

"No you can because I already approved this with the fallen, they said they can manage without you." God reassures his frazzled son.

"Okay be that as it may Dad, you can't put Steff in charge of Heaven. That is a lot for one angel even an almost as powerful as God angel."

"Lucifer I have faith in her."

"Father it's not fair to her."

"Life's not fair."

"Father…"

"Lucifer…"

"Guys I can manage on my own. They're angels how bad can it be? Not any worse than demons right." Steff interjects and God just smiles while Lucifer just sighs.

"Sweetheart are you sure?"

"Sure, I failed at ruling Hell so maybe I was meant for Heaven." Steff assures him optimistically.

"See Lucifer, this is why she's the Keshet… always ready for a challenge." God says with pride and Lucifer swears his father practically radiates happiness at this.

"Did you even ask the others yet?"

"Yes, and we leave in the morning."

"Where are we going?" Lucifer asks with a sigh.

"To negotiate with the King of the Fae in his realm."

"Oberon?" Lucifer says with disbelief.

"Yes, I need to make sure our treaty still stands."

"We have a treaty with the fairies?" Lucifer asks having never heard of it.

"Yep it just basically bars him from taking humans, and turning them into Fae without probable cause." God explains and watches, as Steff just stands there looking confused.

"Fairies are real?"

"Yes Steff they are." Lucifer tells her.

"Are unicorns real too?" Steff asks a little hopeful. She had always wanted to see a unicorn especially when she learned that the supernatural do exist as a little girl.

"They are and they exist in a remote corner of Russia."

"Lucifer when you get back we're going to Russia to find the unicorns… and we're taking Dean because he always said that it was impossible." Steff says as her eyes light up, and Lucifer just smiles at his excited mate.

"Sweetheart we can take your brothers to see the unicorns when I get back, but are you sure about this Heaven thing."

"Yeah it's no trouble Lucifer, I can do it." Steff reassures her mate and he just nods.

"Well if you're sure then… yes Father I will go with you and the others." Lucifer says finally relenting.

"Like I said earlier we leave in the morning; see you then Lucifer." God says as he disappears from their porch. After he leaves Steff and Lucifer walk inside, and Lucifer sees the new paint job.

"Steff this is amazing."

"Thanks Luci only took me a few hours."

"Hmm well I think you deserve a reward."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah now if you would be so kind as to follow me to the bedroom."

"I'm not kind, so I guess I won't follow you." Steff says playfully as she pulls him towards the couch.

"Well then my bitter, resentful, angel how about this. I'll drag you upstairs, and I will show you exactly what I do to unkind angels." Lucifer says as he snaps them both into the bedroom. He snaps one more time and Steff is on the bed with her hands cuffed above her head; Lucifer is sitting on his knees between her legs with an angel blade in hand. He then begins to run it on her body not hard enough to draw blood just leave scratches.

'Lucifer stop.' Steff thinks at him, but Lucifer doesn't because he simply can't hear her. So he continues dragging it along her mid section, he doesn't notice as she closes her eyes. Only this time he pushes hard enough so that blood forms lazily on the surface of her skin, also drawing the memories of when he used to torture her back to the surface. Steff at this point has begun to panic as she tries to break the cuffs, but they're the ones with Enochian sigils carved into them stopping her from breaking them. She begins to thrash in an attempt to buck him off, but Lucifer holds her down. He pauses in his ministrations.

"Steff it's okay." Lucifer says calmingly and Steff just nods her head taking slow deep breaths trying to will the memories away. He thinks she is behaving strange because she is normally really into this, but still he continues cutting her only this time he slices a cut along her arm. When Steff feels the blade slice through her skin, and sees the blood she instantly panics.

"BALTHAZAR!" Steff screams and Lucifer sits up very suddenly at her scream.

"Steff what's wrong?" Balthazar says as he flies in with blade in hand ready to smite something.

"I'm sorry… sorry… I'm so sorry." Steff whispers as tears fall from her eyes.

"Sweetheart it's okay… shhh it's alright." Lucifer says quickly as he undoes the cuffs. She is instantly off the bed, and across the room in Balthazar's awaiting arms.

"Darling it's alright, your fine. He wasn't going to hurt you." Balthazar says trying to calm her.

"Steff are you all right, did I hurt you?"

"No, Lucifer… we just can't do that anymore." Steff tells him as Balthazar holds her, healing the small cuts.

"Steff, why are you shaking?" Balthazar asks her as she dries the tears trying to shake the horrid memories out of her mind.

"No reason, I'm sorry and you can go Balthazar… sorry about that."

"It's okay Darling, see you tomorrow Lucifer."

"Bye and see you tomorrow." Lucifer says as he steps toward Steff, but she backs away.

"Sorry, just give me a minute."

"Sure take all the time you need." Lucifer says in concern as he sits back on the bed, disheartened that his mate was still scared of him.

"I'm sorry, they don't usually come back so fast."

"What doesn't come back?"

"The memories."

"Of what?" Lucifer asks gently, not wanting to provoke anything.

"The torture, usually I can just focus on you, but tonight… tonight they were like a tidal wave I couldn't… I'm sorry." Steff says apologetically as she sits next to him on the bed.

"It's alright you don't have to be sorry, no more cuffs." Lucifer says as he kisses her neck gently.

"Okay." Steff agrees hesitantly as she lies back and Lucifer kisses her very gently, and then smiles when he is rewarded with her moans of pleasure. Lucifer ever so slowly and gently that night has sex with Steff, careful to not bring back bad memories. When they're done he pulls Steff close to him and whispers 'I love you' over and over to her. Trying to reiterate that point into her mind in an attempt to erase whatever plagued it.

"I'm sorry." Lucifer tells her eventually.

"For what?" Steff asks groggily as she turns around to face him.

"The torture… I… I just never…"

"Lucifer it's okay, I should have just got over it."

"Sweetheart this isn't your fault." Lucifer says outraged that she thought this was even remotely her fault.

"I should…"

"No Wes was right, I should have never done this to you… and now you have some sort of angelic PTSD."

"Hey it's to late now, and so what if I have PTSD… I sound like a war veteran."

"I can't go… no I can't go, we need to talk about this."

"Lucifer go. I wouldn't want you to ruin this chance, and besides if I only freak out during sex then I'm fine."

"Steff I can't leave you."

"Yes you can and you will." Steff orders as she kisses him, "Now go to sleep."

"I won't go."

"Lucifer you're going to go even if I have to call your father to come force you to go." Steff threatens and Lucifer just sighs. "Didn't anyone ever tell you, you worry too much?"

"No I only worry this much about you, especially when I won't be able to protect you."

"It's Heaven Lucifer I'll be fine."

"I guess, but we are talking about this when I come back."

"If you want to we can try, although I'm not sure how much I'll tell you."

"Oh I know how to make you talk." Lucifer says playfully as he strokes her feathers.

"Lucifer it's like three am and your father is coming at eight you need to go to sleep."

"What are you my mother?"

"No, but I will leave this bed if you don't settle down."

"Fine, night." Lucifer says as he turns away from her pouting.

"Michael was right, you're such a child sometimes." Steff mutters as she pulls him close to her, which is a little awkward because he is longer then her… plus his wings are bigger than hers.

"This makes me feel so un-manly."

"Then stop pouting and do it right." Steff says as Lucifer turns over, and puts his arms around her.

"Much better." Lucifer whispers as he holds her tight. Steff just shakes her head as they both fall asleep finally.


	49. Whom Can We Trust If Not Angels?

Next morning

The next morning Steff and Lucifer fly to Heaven to meet with God and the others; when they arrive they realize they're the last to arrive.

"Sorry we're late." Steff apologizes to the group.

"Well if I had to guess by the smell of sweat and sadness radiating off you two… I'd guess you were either sharing your feelings while running a marathon, or having goodbye sex." Gabriel says a little jealous he didn't think of the same thing for him and Sam.

"Jealous because I got to spend a little more time with my Winchester." Lucifer taunts, and they both watch as Cas narrows his eyes.

"I am actually." Cas admits, "Father do I have to go, I don't hate you. I never have."

"Yes Castiel, now Steff this is Bartholomew an angel of dreams; he will help you run Heaven." God says as an angel with dark scarlet wings comes over from the side. He's a few inches shorter than Lucifer with bronze hair and alabaster skin. Bartholomew had a very serious looking face, and he was fairly attractive at least by Steff's standards as she admires him with a playful smile.

"Don't even." Lucifer warns when he sees the twinkle in Steff's eyes.

"What?" Steff says innocently.

"Oh you know what? You have three bonds and one imprint… Sweetheart I don't think you need anymore. Angels aren't like those abandoned animals you find in Hell and take in all the time." Lucifer whispers to her and Steff just smiles.

"Fine… I won't collect anymore strays, now you guys have a good trip." Steff says as she walks over to Bartholomew, and watches as Lucifer give her that look. "I swear I won't, now go before I kick your ass Lucifer."

"All right I love you, and I'll see you soon." Lucifer says as all six of them disappear leaving Steff alone with this new angel.

"So Barthy what do I need to do today?"

"My name is Bartholomew and Steffanie you need to read some of these documents then sign them." Bartholomew says flatly as he motions for Steff to follow him. She does so, and he leads her to a large study with a table filled with papers.

"I have to read all these?" Steff says with a groan.

"Yes this is what God told me you should do."

"So that dick is basically making me his secretary."

"Yeah just about, now I have to go. So can you do this?"

"Yes and thank you Bartholomew." Steff says as she sits at the desk and begins to read the papers. Seeing as they're all in Enochian Steff has to get a book to translate them to English.

Day 2

"Steffanie have you been here all night?" Bartholomew asks as he sees all the papers from the desk either categorized or shredded.

"…" Steff doesn't answer because she is sleeping face down on a translating book.

"Steffanie!" Bartholomew shouts and she jerks up suddenly.

"I'm awake, I'm awake."

"Yes I can see that, here." He says as he hands her a cup of coffee.

"Thanks." Steff says as she takes a drink.

"So did you do all that paperwork last night?"

"Yeah, so any big plans for today?" Steff asks and notices that the coffee is really sweet.

"Well I plan to take over Heaven, and make myself the new God."

"What?" Steff asks hazily, figuring she was just hearing him wrong.

"Yup and there is nothing you can do to stop me." Bartholomew says confidently.

"Huh?" Steff says as the room starts to spin, and she finally realizes that the coffee was drugged.

"Come Keshet, I have a special place for you." Bartholomew says as he picks her up, and walks for what seems like a long time until he stops.

"Barthy… don't." Steff slurs out trying to access her powers, trying to at least form a note to tell her brothers about this, but she can't with the drug interfering with her mind.

"Awww you're trying to stop me." Bartholomew mocks as he puts her on a large bed in the middle of someone's heaven. Once on the bed he chains her wrists and ankles to the bedposts.

"What?" Steff manages to choke out as she feels her grace and hope of escape draining away as each cuff is put on.

"Now let's see…. This should work nicely." He says as he brings the nightmare to life after quickly searching her mind. It is one where Alistair had turned into Dean, and had tortured her with an angel blade.

"Please no." Steff begs the angel desperately.

"Be a good little angel, and scream for me." Bartholomew says while he laughs sadistically as he leaves her to her worst nightmare.

Day seven

"Sorry about that boys I thought it would only take a few days." God says apologetically as they all appear in the study where Steff should have been.

"It's fine. Hey isn't Steff supposed to be here?" Lucifer asks as he looks around the room.

"She should be in that desk… Bartholomew!" God shouts and he watches as the angel shows up with blade in hand. He immediately lunges at God only to be knocked aside by Michael while Lucifer and Gabriel restrain him.

"What is this?" God asks in shock as he approaches the restrained angel.

"Well it was supposed to be a rebellion, but it seems my comrades have backed out."

"Where is Steff?" Lucifer asks him and Bartholomew just laughs.

"Oh she is detained."

"Where!" Balthazar shouts at him as he puts his blade to Bartholomew's throat.

"Let's just say this isn't Heaven for her anymore."

"How could you? Bartholomew you were one of my most trusted sons." God asks still in disbelief at his son's betrayal, and now very afraid for Steff's mental state. God knew Steff had many nightmares that she kept locked away deep in her soul hoping, praying they were never relived.

"You can't tell me you didn't think this would happen once you left… Wow you really didn't."

"I thought…"

"My god your almost as naïve Castiel over there." Bartholomew says smugly.

"I don't care about your quarrel with him, just tell me where Steff is." Balthazar shouts at him and Bartholomew just laughs.

"Awww does the little party angel miss his brother's mate?"

"Father can I kill him?"

"Go for it Balthazar." God says as Balthazar stabs the blade deep into his chest killing him. They all watch as the traitorous angel crumples onto the ground and dies.

"STEFF!" Lucifer shouts as he rushes out of the room.

"STEFFANIE!" Cas shouts joining the search as him, and Lucifer search the surrounding heavens quickly.

"Lucifer and Balthazar go to the right, I'll take the left with Cas." Gabriel orders and the brothers just nod in response as they break off. God and Michael were busy trying to get rid of the other conspirators.

Five hours later

Heaven

"Guys did you find her?" Lucifer asks as they all regroup in the study.

"No." They answer solemnly.

"Father did you try to find her?"

"No Lucifer I haven't tried yet we've been busy, give me a moment." God says as he closes his eyes and searches for the Keshet's soul. He finds it, and when he does he feels the pain and fear she is in.

"Lucifer, go past the Smith heaven and take a right… fly about forty meters and she is there." God tells him and Lucifer flies off quickly. When he gets to the heaven he sees Steff cuffed down on the bed shaking with tears streaming down her face. He walks over to the bed, and touches her mind to see what's going on. Lucifer can't believe his eyes when he sees the hellish nightmare.

"Steff." Lucifer whispers to her as he un-cuffs her wrists. As soon as Steff is free she scrambles off the bed, and out of the heaven. Lucifer watches as she flies past him, and all of the angels in the main room eyes wide in terror.

"Steff wait!" God shouts after the frightened angel as they trail her. Noticing the angels following her she puts up a barrier against them, and all but snuffs out the bonds.

Earth

Two a.m.

Once Steff leaves she flies to her brothers in their motel room. The boys were asleep until they hear an angel show up.

"Hey Ga…. Steff?" Sam says, but stops when he notices the sheer terror in his sister's eyes.

"Steff are you okay?" Dean asks as they both get out of their beds to go over to her, however they both notice how she flinches at Dean's voice.

"Sam I…" Steff starts, but stops as she backs away from the men in tears.

"Steff it's okay, I got you." Sam assures her as he approaches her slowly as you would a frightened animal.

"Sam it… he…"

"Shh… it's okay Steff, shhh it'll be okay." Sam says as he pulls her into a hug, and he feels her shaking.

"Sam the torture, the pain, he was Dean and I didn't know… it wouldn't stop… why would he do that…. I promised I wouldn't do it again…. Sam why?" Steff mumbles against Sam's shoulder. Sam just stares at her in bewilderment, not understanding her mumbling.

"Steff slow down, now what happened?" Sam asks quietly and Steff just shakes her head as she buries it deep into his chest. Sam just tries again this time a little softer, "Steff you got to tell me so I can help you."

"Sam…. I… I can't." Steff says as she shakes against her brother.

"Should I call Lucifer?" Dean suggests as he approaches them.

"NO!" Steff shouts in terror as she pulls away from Sam, and is on the other side of the room in three seconds flat. She just sits in the corner shaking at just the mention of his name. "I'm sorry… I won't run anymore, I'm sorry…." Steff just repeats over and over again allowing the fear of the memory to take over her mind, not even attempting to fight anymore just accepting defeat.

"Steff I'm gonna call one of them okay, but not Lucifer?" Sam says as he prays to Gabriel. Steff just nods her head slowly as Dean walks back over to her. He tries to pick her up to comfort her, but she just shakes her head in no as she pulls away from him.

"Angel I won't hurt you." Dean says soothingly thinking how strange it is for Steff to want Sam instead of him; even as a child she wanted Dean before Sam.

"That's what Alistair told me too." Steff says to Dean and he just looks at her in confusion.

"He's dead Steff, he can't hurt you anymore."

"Memories, he lives in my memories… I should've just died." Steff mumbles as she curls up tighter with her knees to her chest and her face to her knees.

"Gabriel get your ass down here now!" Sam shouts frantically into the ceiling as he approaches his siblings. Gabriel shows immediately and his heart breaks when he sees the state Steff is in.

"Steff, I'm coming over alright?" Gabriel says gently trying not to scare the already terrified angel. He approaches the siblings slowly and watches as Steff just pushes farther into the corner in an attempt to get away.

"He's not gonna hurt you Steff." Sam tells her and her eyes dart around the room looking for escape.

"Don't…. please I won't run anymore."

"Steff he's gonna help you." Dean tells her and she just closes her eyes as she pulls her wings around herself tightly hiding in them.

"Angels aren't capable of helping… they're just like demons: ambitious, deceitful bastards." Steff tells him from behind her wings. All of them just look at her then the brothers turn to Gabriel.

"What is she talking about?" Sam demands angrily from his angel.

"We only left for a week." Gabriel starts to tell Sam, but when he looks at Steff he stops as he puts a hand to her feathers. Steff flinches away from the touch with a whimper.

"What happened?" Dean asks terrified, having never seen Steff this scared…. ever.

"Father took us to another realm to help him negotiate a treaty… I never imagined he was capable of this…"

"Gabriel explain this now!" Sam shouts and they see Steff flinch at his tone again. "Sorry Steff."

"Sam I'm scared." Steff says as she lifts her head up and her wings retract.

"Of what?" Sam asks softly as he squats down next to her.

"Him." Steff says as she points at Dean with a wing, and he just steps back in confusion at his sister's sudden declaration.

"Me, what did I do?" Dean asks her as she starts shaking again.

"Steff what did Bartholomew do to you?" Gabriel asks having not had the time to consult with Lucifer before Sam had called him.

"Alistair was Dean and he… he…. Torture Gabriel… screams… all I could do was scream… he never came, never stopped… I won't run anymore I promise, just please don't let him hurt me… please." Steff begs as she grabs the angel and clings onto him desperately.

"Steff." Dean starts, but Gabriel cuts him off when he feels Steff pull him tighter.

"Dean stop talking, Steff can I look at them." Gabriel asks hesitantly and Steff shakes her head. "Steff I need to see, so I can tell Luci..." Gabriel doesn't get to finish when Lucifer shows up and Steff immediately disappears.

"Dammit Lucifer!" Gabriel curses angrily when he feels her grip gone from him.

"Gabriel where is she?"

"I don't know she bolted when you showed!" Gabriel shouts angrily at his brother.

"Don't yell at me she is my mate not yours!"

"Well I'm not the one who gave her some sort of angelic PTSD Lucifer!" Gabriel shouts in frustration back at him.

"Shut up Gabriel." Lucifer says in a low warning tone.

"Sorry… she was about to let me help."

"Whatever Gabe, where did she go?"

"I don't know, but my guess would be far away from Dean and you as possible."

"Why is she scared of us exactly?" Dean asks still confused.

"When she first came to Hell I had her tortured and as part of the torture Alistair would walk in as you and hurt her… However she never believed it until he started using the pet names you had for her, and then he really damaged her. But before he could get very far with her I stepped in and stopped it… trading it for the grace treatments." Lucifer explains to them and Dean just gapes in horror at him.

"Dude that is such a dick move!"

"Well sorry Dean, as the Devil it's not my job to be nice!"

"So how do we help her?" Sam asks trying to stop this before it turns into an all out brawl.

"I could ask Father to suppress the memories, but it would involve getting her near us." Lucifer suggests, but Gabriel just shakes his head.

"Lucifer she'll never forgive you, also that won't fix it."

"Well if you so smart what should we do Gabriel?"

"I suggest talking it out, but I doubt we can get her in a room with you for more then a second right now."

"Balthazar might be able to help." Sam suggests to them.

"No I doubt it Sam, she doesn't even seem capable of trusting angels right now." Balthazar says as he shows up with Michael, Cas, and God.

"Boys did we find her?" God asks worriedly. Afraid for his Keshet especially in this state, when he had brought her back he had helped to suppress a lot of the worse memories.

"No Father she bolted as soon as I showed up."

"We need to find her before something else does."

"What would want her?" Dean asks.

"Dean angels are very powerful and Steff knows many of Heaven's and Hell's secrets… in the wrong hands especially right now, that information would be detrimental." God explains to the brothers.

"So how do we find her?" Balthazar asks as he notices how he can't feel her through the imprint.

"The bonds are useless and so is the imprint, but she is predictable. Dean where would she go if she was distraught?" God asks him and he just thinks for a minute.

"Probably Bobby's if I had to guess." Dean answers.

"Alright Castiel go to Bobby's, if she's not there come back." God orders and Cas disappears.

"Okay anywhere else."

"Antarctica."

"No not tonight, she is to shaky to fly that far Balthazar." Lucifer says to him.

"What about Heaven would she go anywhere in there?"

"Dad you realize she was tortured there right?" Michael points out to him.

"She's not at Bobby's." Cas replies as he shows back up.

"Crowley's maybe." Balthazar suggests and Lucifer disappears to check.

"No not at Crowley's."

"That was fast Lucifer."

"Yeah I'm quick when I wanna be."

"God why don't you just search for her like you did in Heaven?"

"Because there are to many souls here."

"So what can we do now?" Dean asks worried for his sister knowing how dangerous to herself she can be.

"Dean we just have to…"

"Africa! Did anyone check Africa?" Lucifer says to them, and everyone shakes their heads in no.

"I'll go as to not frighten her away again." God says and disappears.

"If he returns with Steff how do we help her?" Sam asks.

"Time, the only thing she needs is time." Cas tells them.

"But…"

"No Lucifer this is something you can't fix. She has to deal with this on her own." Cas says to him and just watches as Lucifer sits on the couch in defeat.

"She'll come through it's just fresh right now, and I imagine that those memories were terrible." Sam tells him and God shows back up into the room with Steff in his arms.

"She was in Africa getting eaten by a hyena, don't worry though I healed her." God says as he puts her gently on the couch next to Lucifer. Lucifer picks her up gently and rocks her in his arms.

"I'm sorry Sweetheart, so sorry." He whispers to her as tears fall from his eyes. All of the angels, and people are shocked as Steff wakes up when she feels a tear drop onto her face.

"Luci, what's wrong?" Steff asks grimacing when she feels her head begin to pound.

"Steff!"

"Yeah it's me, Lucifer I had the strangest dream."

"Really, well tell me about it."

"I was in Heaven and this crazy angel made me relive my worst nightmare over and over again… I screamed and screamed for you but you never came… but here's the weird thing it was Dean doing the torturing, strange right?" Steff tells him as she curls up into his lap with a yawn.

"The weirdest… tired still?"

"Yeah, I'm just gonna…." Steff trails off as she falls asleep in his arms. Lucifer just continues to cry silently at all the damage he has done to her soul. He hated to admit it, but this was entirely his fault.

"Castiel you were right." Lucifer admits mournfully.

"About what Lucifer?"

"How I destroyed her soul; I never believed you in the beginning, but now… now I know I shattered it…. She was the one being I love most and I destroyed her." Lucifer says regretfully as he just pulls her closer to him.

"Son she isn't…"

"No she is and I did this…. I broke her…. You should have just killed me when you had the chance Michael." Lucifer says sadly as he picks her up and walks over to Dean, "Take her, I have to go."

"But you're coming back right? Lucifer she will be crushed if you go." Dean points out to his friend; Lucifer just looks at the floor.

"She has Balthazar. He will protect her and give her the love she deserves, like he should have in the beginning… She was never the monster, I was." Lucifer says distraughtly as he disappears.

"Father go after him." Michael pleads with his father.

"Michael this is something I can't fix… he has destroyed her soul, and he has to be the one to fix it. I can not, in fact when she wakes up she will probably realize what happened to her wasn't a dream." God admits to them sorrowfully.

"But what if he kills himself?" Gabriel asks worried for Lucifer's safety.

"I won't bring him back…"

"WHAT!" The men shout in shock.

"But if Steff wishes to find him in Purgatory I will allow her to get him." God says as they all turn to see Steff curling into Dean.

"She will, and she will save him even if he tears her apart again." Balthazar says to the group.

"Why does she do that God, why?" Sam asks him.

"Because she is a Winchester, and Winchesters always save everyone…. Even if we don't like them, we still have to save them Sammy." Dean recites having listened to their father repeat it over and over to them as young hunters.

"You're not Dad, Dean. We can change the rules."

"No Sam we can't. This is what hunters do, we deal with the supernatural so the general public doesn't have to… and if that means saving suicidal angels then so be it."

"Wouldn't be the first angel you two have talked down off a cliff." God comments as he gestures to Steff who is still sleeping in Dean's arms. God just walks over to Steff and despite his best judgment he puts a hand to her head. He shows her what has happened, and confirming that it wasn't a dream. Steff doesn't wake, but she whispers 'Lucifer'. Dean just sighs as he puts her on his bed.

"So what now?" Dean asks the group.

"I'm going to Heaven to fix the mess Bartholomew made. Sons?" God says as he looks at his angels who just stare at the ground.

"Sam you want to come with me?" Gabriel asks, but Sam shakes his head in no, "Well then I'll help you Father."

"Thank you Gabriel, Balthazar are you coming with?"

"No." Balthazar says as he just disappears, pissed at Lucifer's behavior and his fathers.

"Castiel?"

"No Father, I'm going to stay here with them."

"Very well, Michael?"

"I'm going to find him no matter what you say. I will not allow him to die by his own hand or anyone else's." Michael says defiantly as he disappears to find his brother.

"When will he learn?" God says with a frustrated sigh as he uses his power to drag Michael back literally flapping and screaming.

"Father let me go!" Michael says as he fights against him.

"Michael what did I tell you?"

"Let-me-go-now!" Michael spits angrily at his father.

"No, now are you coming to Heaven with me or staying here with the Winchesters, decide now."

"You cannot tell me what to do!"

"Fine, you're coming with me then." God says authoritatively as he makes the decision for him. However he is unprepared for Michael's next statement.

"I rebel, now release me!"

"What?" God says in shock, having never thought that his most loyal son would ever utter those words to him.

"I'm done with your tyranny. I should have followed Lucifer all those years ago; but I won't miss my chance now, release me."

"You…. You're coming with me whether you like it or not!" God says angrily as he snaps his fingers putting a grace cuff on Michael. They all watch in shock as the sudden cut off causes Michael to gasp and fall to his knees.

"Michael!" Gabriel shouts as he rushes to his brother's aide.

"Gabriel I can't…."

"It's alright, deep breaths." Gabriel coaches as Michael just leans against him shaking.

"Father how could you?" Castiel says in shock.

"Gabriel follow with him when he can function again." God orders as he flies to Heaven leaving the angels and humans in shock.

"Michael you okay to fly?" Gabriel asks not really wanting to provoke their father anymore. Michael just shakes his head in no.

"Go I will take him when he feels better." Cas says and Gabriel nods as he flies to Heaven.

"Cas don't make me go." Michael begs with his brother and Cas just nods.

"I wasn't going to. You need to find Lucifer; I don't know if Steff will be able to take another trip to Purgatory." Cas says to him and Michael just looks at him in mild shock.

"Feathers who knew you were rebellious." Dean says in shock and Cas just smiles.

"I learned from the best, Michael I can't break that cuff."

"But I can." Steff says as she pulls herself off the bed and wobbles over to them.

"Steff you can't even stand, let alone help him." Dean says as she grabs his arm for support.

"I… I can't save him this time… so you must Michael." Steff says as she touches the cuff they watch as it shatters off. Once it falls to pieces onto the ground the men watch as Steff too falls using what little strength she had left.

"Steff!" Dean shouts as he picks her up off the ground.

"Save him Mic…" Steff whispers before she fades into unconsciousness.

"I will, Steff." Michael vows as he flies to find his brother.

"Cas take her to Bobby's, we need to finish this hunt." Dean tells him and Cas just nods as he takes her from Dean.

"She will be in a bed upstairs, good luck Dean." Cas says as he flies them to Bobby's house and places her gently on the bed.


	50. The Beginning of The End

Bobby's House

Once Cas puts her down he explains the situation to Bobby who just stares at him in shock.

"Cas go to them, I can watch her." Bobby tells him and Cas nods then disappears.

A couple of hours later

Steff awakes to see that she is no longer in the motel room, but rather Bobby's house. She tries to stand up, but when she does the memories of the last week come back to her in a painful rush.

"AHH!" Steff cries out as she relives the torture again and again. "Bobby help!" Steff shouts and he rushes up to her.

"Steff what can I do?"

"Make it stop please…."

"Steff it's not real, look at me Steff it's not real."

"That's what the demons said about you too."

"Okay, idjit what don't they say then?"

"That Bobby, they never question their own realness." Steff says confidently as she pushes them from her mind finally banishing back to the depths of her mind.

"Damn idjit shoulda just listened to me the first time." Bobby mutters and Steff just wraps him in a big hug.

"Where is everybody?"

"Cas left to help Dean and Sam, I don't know where the angels are." Bobby tells her and she pulls back from him.

"I need to go help them." Steff says suddenly remembering Michael's desperate departure a few hours ago.

"Steff you just woke up and you look like hell."

"I need…"

"No you're gonna go take a shower, eat something, then you're going back to bed." Bobby orders and watches as Steff puffs up her wings defiantly.

"I'll…"

"Don't even bother arguing Cas already spelled the house." Bobby says and watches as Steff deflates a little.

"But I have to find them."

"Later, now go."

"Fine you jackass." Steff mutters under her breath as she trudges to the bathroom.

"Kids these days." Bobby mumbles as he goes back down the stairs, and begins to organize his lore books. He hears the water turn on followed by the distinct sound of Steff singing her usual rock songs.

"Still like that old time rock and roll, that kinda music just soothes the soul, I reminisce about the days of old, with that ol' rockin' roll." Steff sings out loudly trying to drown out the memories in her mind as she washes the dirt from her body. "Luci, where are you?" Steff whispers out as she exits the shower, she gets dressed and wanders downstairs.

"Steff you're not leaving, so you may as well forget whatever plan you're concocting in your mind." Bobby tells her from the kitchen as he stands at the stove heating up soup.

"Bobby I wasn't even concocting anything." Steff says as she enters the kitchen and sits at the table using her powers to get a glass of whiskey.

"Kid isn't that a little large for whiskey."

"Shove it Bobby. I just relived my psychological torture, half-eaten by a hyena, and been sentenced to house arrest. If I wanna drink then I'm gonna." Steff tells him defiantly taking a drink.

"Don't make me call your father."

"Which one?"

"Both."

"Oooo I'm shaking in my socks." Steff says with a mock shudder as she defiantly wiggles her socked feet at him.

"I'm not gonna let you turn into a drunk like your actual father."

"Bobby I'm an angel, what can you do to stop me?" Steff asks defiantly.

"Lock you in the panic room and have Cas put one of the cuffs on that stops your powers from working."

"Touché Bobby touché." Steff says as she puts the glass down and turns it to water.

"Still calling Dean."

"Please don't."

"Sorry Steff, he said to call when you got difficult."

"Fine I'm going to bed sheesh…. Who knew you were such a…"

"Finish it Steff and I shoot you."

"Lovely man."

"That's better, now eat this and go to bed." Bobby orders her as he sets the bowl in front of her.

"Bobby I'm really not…"

"I will cuff you to a chair and have Dean force feed you when he gets here."

"And with that I'm done." Steff says as she storms into the living room tired of being treated like a child by Bobby.

"Steffanie get your ass back here now!"

"No Bobby, in fact I'm leaving!"

"How?"

"Like this!" Steff shouts at him as she walks through the front door, only to be blasted with pain; but being Steff she fought through it only to pass out.

"Balls!" Bobby says as he picks up the defiant angel, and brings her inside as he puts her on the couch. "Cas!"

"What Bobby?"

"She…"

"Already?" Sam groans out as he and Dean, plus their stuff shows up at Bobby's.

"Yeah ever since she woke up, she started arguing." Bobby tells them and Dean just sighs.

"She's always combative when we try to help her." Cas points out to them as he soothes a few of his charges frazzled feathers.

"Yeah well she was drinking and just difficult." Bobby says as they look to find her wings shifting from indigo to blue.

"Do her wings always do that?" Dean asks as he picks her up gently.

"Only when she's worried." Sam answers and Dean just takes her upstairs then puts her gently on his bed.

"Dad, I need to leave." Steff whispers desperately. Dean just freezes in shock at hearing her talk and the fact that she called him dad.

"Steff?" Dean asks as he turns to face her.

"Dad please, I have to." Steff argues gently trying to get him to just agree with him.

"No Steff I can't let you go." Dean says regretfully as he looks into his sister's eyes only to see the same desperation that was in her voice.

"Please Dean." Steff begs him.

"No, now go to sleep." Dean says to her in an even voice, though it breaks his heart to refuse her.

"God dammit I'll sleep when he's safe, now let me go I need to save him!" Steff suddenly shouts in anger as she gets off the bed, and pushes past Dean to the downstairs.

"What the hell!" Dean says in surprise as he follows her down the stairs.

"Cas open that god damn door before I rip your fucking wings out." Steff orders and flares her wings out threateningly.

"Steff I can't allow you to go." Cas says in a calming tone as he gently pushes Steff back away from the door.

"Why the hell not?" Steff inquires angrily as she shoves Cas' hands away from her body.

"You won't talk to me like that Steffanie." Cas says with indignation.

"I swear to Hell's fiery abysses that if you don't let me out of here I will skin you alive and make Dean watch." Steff threatens sadistically, and all of them freeze knowing this was probably going to happen at some point. Sam seeing nothing else to do takes a syringe filled with anesthesia Cas had given him in case of this, and sticks it in Steff's hip.

"Sorry Steff." Sam says with regret as she wavers on her feet, trying to fight the drugs. However it's a losing battle because her vision begins to darken around the edges.

"Sam you jack…" Steff starts, but doesn't get to finish before the drugs take over. Dean just picks her back up and takes her to his bed, this time however he cuffs her wrist to the headboard.

"What happened to my sweet Angel?" Dean whispers as he runs a hand through her hair.

"She got tortured by the angel that she ironically loves the most, had her soul ripped out by God, and then tried to piece her life back together with little more then a chewed up piece of bubble gum." Balthazar answers stoically as he shows up after feeling her distress and anger.

"What?" Dean asks in slight confusion.

"Dean if you think about it most people would have killed themselves by now if it were their life."

"But she's a Winchester…"

"Yeah well what's the average life span of a Winchester, Dean?"

"Maybe late fifties."

"Exactly and how many times has she saved you guys from death?"

"I don't know to many to count."

"My point exactly, she lives to save you and Sam…. Well I should also add my brothers to that list, but they usually try to kill her at some point." Balthazar says as he sits on the bed and pulls her into his arms. "She gives so much to everyone else that she leaves nothing for herself."

"How do we help her?"

"You can't now it's too late." Balthazar mutters as he just pulls her closer to him and kisses the top of her head gently. Steff just smiles slightly in her drug induced sleep. The man and angel just smile, glad that she finds some sort of happiness even if it's in her dreams.

"Balthazar can you watch her?"

"I can, has she eaten recently?"

"No, Bobby said she refused to."

"Alright I'll deal with it when she awakes." Balthazar says with a sigh and rests his head against the wall. Dean just nods as he goes back downstairs to help Bobby with the phones and sharpening the weapons. Sam who had been looking for any signs of supernatural finds nothing absolutely, nothing.

"Guys I can't find anything."

"Sam, it was probably God in his anger at Michael; just come help us." Dean tells him and Sam just nods as he walks over to the living room to help sharpen the weapons and clean the guns. This is how the rest of the day goes just cleaning, and replenishing their supplies waiting for news of Lucifer and Michael.

Next Day

When Steff awakes from her drug induced sleep she feels someone's arms wrapped around her.

"Lucifer?" Steff asks quietly hoping he came back, but is disappointed when she shifts to her side she immediately smells scotch and sea air. "Balthy what are you doing here?"

"Hmm?" Balthazar asks groggily as he awakes slowly having felt Steff shift in his arms.

"I asked why are you here?"

"Because if I didn't come you were going to kill Cas." Balthazar mumbles sleepily as he pulls her closer to him.

"I wasn't going to kill Cas." Steff mutters as she pulls at the cuff on her other wrist.

"Are you hungry?"

"No, I want this off so I can find Michael and Lucifer."

"Darling I can't release you."

"Why not?"

"Because as soon as you leave in this condition you'll drop from exhaustion or malnutrition."

"No my…."

"Steffanie you still need to eat especially if you want your grace to be stable enough to heal Lucifer."

"But I need to save him Balthazar, I have to go he needs me!" Steff insists as she pulls out of his arms and begins to struggle against the cuff.

"Darling you have to stay."

"No I don't!"

"Don't…"

"My job is to save him and I need to do that, so release me."

"Why?"

"Because I love him!"

"But why do you love him Steff, why?"

"Because he's mine and I am his always, we have two beautiful children and I need him."

"But I love you, can't that be enough?"

"No Balthazar, I… I don't know how to explain it, but I need him…. Now please release me." Steff begs as she struggles against the cuff.

"Steff I won't."

"Please."

"No, the only reason you love him is because he has convinced you that you did for two years…. Without him you can learn to love without the need to save him or everyone else." Balthazar says and watches as Steff stops struggling and just stands there in defeat.

"I love him because he is the only part of my soul that is still intact anymore… it's the only part that when the world is ending I can still be sure is real." Steff admits to Balthazar and he just looks down at the bed.

"What about the part that loves me, or Dean and the others?"

"Balthazar I will not let you stop me, he is my mate and I love him with all of my soul… well what's left. Nothing will stop me… even if he is dead I will travel to Purgatory or wherever the hell he is…. But I will save him even if I die in the process." Steff vows to him and he just nods solemnly.

"Then I'm sorry, but you will stay in this room until he is back or dead." Balthazar says to her regretfully as he rises from the bed then leaves the room. Steff still in shock at his statement just begins to fight the cuff again. After a few minutes she realizes that just pulling isn't going to work. So despite her best judgment she takes a deep breath, bites onto a pillow from off the bed, and breaks her wrist.

"Nngh!" Steff grunts out quietly as she slips her broken wrist from the cuff. She quietly sneaks down the stairs and past the kitchen, noticing that there are no hunters or angels in the house. Steff just stands still listening for voices and she hears them coming from out back, realizing that she can't use the front door. So she walks back upstairs to the room, and opens the window quietly. The spell Cas had put on the house was incredibly painful, but driven by the need to find Lucifer and Michael; she manages to break through it. Once outside she takes flight feeling for Lucifer and his brother eventually she finds them.

An hour later

"Bobby I'm telling you she'll be fine." Dean assures him as they walk back into the house and they all notice the eerie silence.

"Balthazar you didn't undo the cuff right?" Sam asks him.

"I never touched it." Balthazar says as they go to the room only to see the window left open and the cuff still in place at the headboard.

"How did she get out?" Bobby questions not seeing any obvious ways out.

"I'll be damned…" Balthazar says as he notices a few drops of blood on the cuff.

"What Balthazar?" Dean asks as he notices a rip in his pillow.

"She broke her wrist then slipped out of the cuff."

"What?"

"Dean she broke her own wrist, then climbed out that window."

"How do you know?"

"Only way, especially with that rip in the pillow… she didn't put up a barrier in her rush to get away." Balthazar tells him.

"Balthazar let's go find her."

"I don't think she…"

"No Balth we are going, especially because she didn't put up a barrier so come on brother." Cas says as he drags Balthazar to Steff.

A Cliff somewhere in Ireland

The angels fly to where Steff is only to see her drenched sitting next to two equally drenched bodies lying unnervingly still. Steff never notices when Cas and Balthazar approach her.

"Steff?" Cas says quietly as he notices their brothers lying dead by Steff.

"I was to late…. I…. to late." Steff whispers as she leans over the angelic brothers.

"Darling." Balthazar says trying to pull her from them, but she just growls at him.

"Both of you leave." Steff growls out in anger.

"Steff let us…" Cas offers, but is cut off by the deadly look in Steff's eyes.

"LEAVE NOW!" Steff shouts at them as she flares her wings out, outlined with angry red with blazing orange fire. Cas and Balthazar just back away slowly from her as she begins to wail in grief. The brothers leave her and go back to Bobbys.

Bobby's House

"Where is she?" Dean asks worriedly when he sees the angels return both looking shell-shocked.

"Ireland." Cas answers hollowly as he walks over to Dean with tears in his eyes.

"Cas what's happened?" Dean says as he wraps Cas in a hug.

"They're dead… both of them dead." Balthazar replies hollowly as he sits down on the couch with his head in his hands.

"Who's dead?"

"Sam both of them… how could Father allow this?" Cas says in between his soft sobbing.

"For the love of god someone tell me whose dead?" Dean shouts and Cas just cries harder.

"Lucifer and Michael." Balthazar replies as a single tear drops to the floor.

"No Balthazar they can't be." Dean says in horror.

"Where is Steff?" Sam asks worried about how their sister is fairing.

"She is at the bodies, she wouldn't let us near."

"Cas take me there now!" Dean says frantically knowing how irrational Steff gets when it comes to her angel. Cas just nods quickly as he transports them to the cliff by the sea. They look around for Steff only to see her kneeling by the bodies making an awful sound. The sound wrenches the hearts of Sam, Dean, and Bobby as they run over to her.

"Steff!" Dean says as he pulls her into a hug. Steff doesn't even look at him as he tries to pull her away from them.

"Dean I was to late."

"Shhh Steff, it's not your fault."

"I… I should have saved them."

"No it's okay Angel, this isn't your fault."

"My angel Dean, my angel." Steff says as she cries into Dean's shoulder. Dean just let's her cry as she puts a hand on Lucifer's chest in an attempt to revive him.

"Steff they're gone." Balthazar says quietly and Steff whirls on him body relit with fire.

"Leave before I show you what it means to be in pain Balthazar." Steff spits at him and Balthazar just nods respectively as he flies to Heaven.

"Cas can you take us back?" Dean asks his angel quietly.

"No, I won't leave them again." Steff says heartbrokenly as she resumes her position by the bodies.

"Steff they're gone." Sam says to her.

"Then I will save them Samuel, Castiel kill me." Steff orders and the men just stare at her in shock.

"Steff I will not kill you."

"Castiel kill me, you know the spell to bring us back."

"No it's too dangerous!"

"Castiel don't make me waste my powers finding someone to kill me."

"Steff how will I know when to bring you back?" Cas asks quietly, knowing it was either this or something else killing her.

"On the night of the fifth day. I'll have found them by then so you can bring us back." Steff tells him and the men just stare in horror at this proposition.

"Cas I won't let you kill her!" Dean says as he gets in between them.

"Bobby, Sam please hold Dean… Steffanie prepare yourself."

"Cas make sure you keep these bodies safe otherwise we'll stay stuck in there." Steff warns him and Cas just nods in understanding. He pulls the blade from his jacket then plunges it deep into Steff's chest. They all watch as Steff's eyes go wide with a smile on her face she utters, "Don't worry Dean, I'll come back."

"Noooo!" Dean shouts in anguish as he watches his sister's body fall limply to the ground, joining the other two. Bobby and Sam just gasp as they release Dean. Once released he rushes over to the three dead angels.

"Dean she's strong…"

"Shut up Cas! Just take us back." Dean says not really wanting to hear anything his angel and his sister's killer has to say right now.

"Dean…"

"Cas-take-us-back!" Dean yells at him angrily, Cas just nods his head as he takes all of them back. Bobby and Sam move the bodies down into the panic room, so that no supernatural being could disturb them.


	51. Purgatory.... Round 2

Heaven

"Gabriel have you finished with the angels I assigned you?" God asks as he shifts through the papers that Steff hadn't had the time to catalog in his study.

"Yeah Dad." Gabriel answers as he smoothes a few top feathers down on his arches.

"Where is your brother?"

"Cas is with the Winchesters."

"Your other brother."

"Sitting in his heaven drinking." Gabriel says avoiding the topic of his oldest brother completely, knowing his father won't approve of his decision.

"Do not try my patience Gabriel, where is Michael?"

"With Lucifer." Gabriel replies quietly.

"Gabriel I distinctly remember telling you to bring him to me when he was okay to fly. Why is he not here right now?" God asks his son as he looks up at him while putting the papers down on the desk and standing up from the chair.

"I…. Well I…"

"Gabriel." God says in a warning tone as he moves out from behind the desk.

"Dad I won't let him die."

"Too late Gabriel he is already dead, and so is Michael." Balthazar says as he shows up to the study in Heaven with the news.

"What?" God says in confusion as he looks from Gabriel to Balthazar.

"Both of them are dead Father… I hope your happy Father." Balthazar says and he turns to leave, but God grabs his shoulder stopping him.

"How?"

"They both stabbed each other then drowned to death in the ocean, near a cliff in Ireland." Balthazar replies hollowly.

"How is she taking it?" God asks wondering how Steff is holding up.

"She is dead too."

"What!" Both Gabriel and God exclaim.

"She made Cas kill her."

"No, she…. no." Gabriel whispers as he flies down to see how Sam is taking it.

"Balthazar why didn't you stop her?" God asks in confusion knowing his son loves her deeply, and will always even when she rebukes him.

"Because she can't live without him, and I'll never be enough." Balthazar replies bitterly to them.

"I'm sorry son, but she will never…"

"I know Father, I will be in my heaven if you need me." Balthazar says as he flies to his heaven now a dark, stormy beach with turbulent waves crashing harshly onto the shore. He just sits on the sand watching the waves crash with a look of forlorn.

Four days later

Still in Heaven

"Uncle Balthy!" Violet calls out with Seth right behind her as they enter their uncle's heaven.

"Hey guys." Balthazar says as he takes a drink from the vodka bottle still sitting on the beach.

"Uncle Balthazar are you okay?" Seth asks as he sees his mentor drinking heavily with an air of sadness surrounding him.

"Fine Seth, just fucking dandy." Balthazar replies bitterly and the siblings just give him a curious glance.

"Anyways, have you seen our mom?" Violet asks trying to brighten the mood only to see that he just sinks deeper into depression.

"You know what we'll just ask Uncle Cas, hope you feel better soon." Seth says to him as he and his sister fly down to Grandpa Bobby's.

Bobby's house

"Uncle Cas?" Violet calls out when she lands in the basement, Seth who was right behind her lands inside the panic room.

"NOOO!" Seth shouts as he sees the bodies of his father, mother, and uncle lying dead on the floor.

"Seth what is…" Violet starts, but freezes when she sees the bodies.

"Mom, please wake up… mom!" Seth shouts as he shakes his mother's cold stiff body.

"Dad… Dad… Daddy come on, you can't be…" Violet says as she sees their dead father.

"Vi, they're dead… they can't be right? This has to be a trick… they can't…" Seth stammers as Violet cries on their father's chest. Seth just joins her on the floor next to them as the pair begins crying in earnest.

An hour later

"Sam do you here that?" Dean asks as he hears sobbing coming from the basement after waking from his drunken stupor from last night. He hadn't been taking these deaths very well, and Cas had to keep a close eye on him to make sure he didn't drink himself to death.

"Yeah, let's go." Sam says as they walk down to the basement following the sound. When they get there they see two angels crying over the bodies, only to realize that they are Seth and Violet.

"Sam is that?" Dean asks as he pushes the door open and the angels turn to him.

"Uncle Dean what happened to them?" Seth stammers as he dries his tears and stands up.

"They drowned to death and Cas killed her." Dean admits and instantly regrets it when he feels the earth quake, and sees Seth's wings ignite in anger.

"Castiel!" The siblings shout and Cas shows up only to be struck with lightning then pinned down with chains made of fire.

"Seth, Violet don't hurt him!" Dean pleads as he tries to grab Seth not wanting to lose another loved one, but is pinned down by Violet's powers.

"He killed our parents Uncle Dean, I will stop at nothing to avenge them." Violet says, as her voice turns deadly.

"Seth stop this now!" Balthazar shouts as he shows up figuring this might happen eventually.

"Go away you drunken bastard! I thought she meant something to you, wasn't she your light in perpetual darkness and you just let this weakling angel kill her!" Seth shouts enraged that his mentor would do nothing to stop his mother and father's deaths.

"Seth Samuel Winchester you will release him now! Violet Sorcha Winchester stop!" Balthazar orders them and Seth begrudgingly releases Dean and Cas; Violet to stops shaking the ground too.

"You have ten seconds to explain before I rip his wings out, and he rips his grace out." Violet warns as she pulls Seth over to her calming him slightly.

"As you know your father tortured your mother eventually destroying her soul, well she had managed to keep it together. But when Bartholomew made her relive those memories for a week she couldn't suppress them anymore, and her soul cracked under the pressure. Once your father saw this he left her with me and then committed suicide, Michael seeing his brother's death too committed suicide. When Steff found both of them dead she told Cas to kill her, so she could get sent to Purgatory to get their souls." Balthazar explains to them and watches as the pair settles a little.

"When and how will she return?" Seth asks warily still unsettled by this whole situation.

"Cas will do the spell and bring them back tomorrow."

"Very well, we shall return tomorrow."

"If they don't make it back we will kill him Uncle Dean… no matter how much you love him." Violet promises Dean, who just nods in understanding while pulling Cas closer to him. The pair of angels then disappear, however in their leave they notice a single black iris on both Steff and Lucifer's chests. The men and angels can't believe how much they look and sound like their parents when they're angry, needless to say it was frightening.

Meanwhile in Purgatory

It had taken Steff the first two days to find Lucifer and another day to find Michael. Apparently they had been separated in a battle, but now Steff had been waiting and wandering around fighting monsters. Plus to her surprise a few old enemies too with them. Today Steff had been off by herself thinking about the future of her soul, wondering how many times it could be destroyed then pieced back together. While she was walking she notices a familiar angel striding towards her.

"Azazel, oh joy…" Steff says sarcastically as she draws her blade from her sleeve silently thanking God she always kept that on her.

"If it isn't my favorite little angel, now I can listen to the sweet sounds of your screams." Azazel says his usual sadistic tone as he draws his blade.

"Yeah not this time." Steff says as she lunges at him, she manages to knick his blood red wing while knocking his own blade a few feet away.

"Ouch Steff, I think that might've actually stung a little." Azazel taunts as he pins her to a tree easily.

"Steff what are you doing?" Lucifer says as he and Michael finally find her when she had gotten separated from them.

"Well I'm currently… trying to… kill him once and for all." Steff says as she blindly stabs at him.

"Lucifer it's so nice to see you again. Steff shall we pick up where we left off?" Azazel whispers into her ear as he grabs the blade from her hand, and drags it across her wings drawing thin lines of blood. Michael and Lucifer just stand there in shock watching as Steff basically shuts down the fear beginning to take over her mind again.

"Sweetheart kick that bastard's ass right into oblivion!" Lucifer cheers quickly from the sidelines, and he smiles when Steff blinks a few times then returns the smile.

"Yeah kill that asshat!" Michael says trying to encourage her too.

"My, my things really have changed since I left Steff haven't they?" Azazel says and Steff just kicks him in the groin and grabs her blade back.

"Yeah and I'm not that same frightened little girl. I won't allow my soul to be tormented by the likes of you anymore!" Steff screams in rage as she plunges the blade deep into Azazel's chest and watches with triumph as he sputters on his own blood while falling to the ground.

"I'm so proud of you Angel, you've come so very far." Azazel whispers to her with a smile as he drowns in his own blood finally meeting his end. His last statement has Steff doing a double take as she watches the angel's body dissolve into dust between her fingers.

"What?" Steff says in complete and utter confusion as she gets off her knees looking down at the pile of ashes as they dissipate into the wind. When the battle ends Lucifer rushes over to her and picks her up as he kisses her.

"I'm so pro…"

"Lucifer how long have I known Azazel, and not just in this life?" Steff asks cutting him off and Lucifer just tilts his head in confusion.

"Sweetheart I have no idea why?"

"Nothing, where's Michael?" Steff says as she pushes it to the back of her mind, and then changes the subject looking for the angels she came to save in the first place.

"Right here Steff, and that was kickass!" Michael says enthusiastically as he gives Steff a congratulatory hug and spins her around, causing Steff to giggle plus Lucifer to smile.

"Michael I will never get used to you swearing, it just sounds so…" Lucifer says as he looks at Michael while shaking his head.

"Filthy, Lucifer I feel like I ruined an angel of the lord. Am I going to Hell?"

"Sweetheart we live there remember, and you've actually ruined a few already."

"Who, besides Cas?" Steff asks with a skeptical look.

"Well there's Balthazar, Zakiel, Vernael, Lilliael, and probably a few I'm forgetting."

"I'd like to think that she saves just as many as she corrupts." Michael adds to the conversation optimistically.

"To be fair Balthazar was already on the edge of rebellion." Steff points out as Lucifer kisses her deeply, and pushes her up against a tree roughly. Michael on the other hand still a little confused about their sexual relationship entirely just watches quietly from a few feet away.

"Luci, I would love to have rough Purgatory tree sex with you, but your very attractive brother is standing literally ten feet away… and unless you're interested in a threesome then I suggest this stops." Steff warns him as she pulls off him.

"Steff he doesn't even know what that is." Lucifer points out as he kisses her neck leaving small possessive bruises.

"Yeah well I can't do this right here with him…. It's awkward." Steff says as she pulls her lips away from Lucifer's as he attempts to capture them again.

"Sweetheart we'll tell him to close his eyes, seriously this won't take us a half an hour."

"No Lucifer, it's not like we're newly bonded… I won't let you talk me into this." Steff says standing firm on this issue as she pushes him off her gently.

"Are you talking about the time you almost died because of when Cas locked you in Heaven?" Lucifer asks as he steps back a few steps.

"Yes and I went on a hunger strike."

"I remember that." Michael says suddenly joining the conversation again.

"Luci, I'm coming home." Steff says nostalgically.

"Speaking of home… I'm not so sure Heaven will be mine anymore." Michael says sadly to them having come to the realization.

"Brother after this you will always have a home with me." Lucifer promises him with a smirk.

"Thanks Lucifer." Michael says returning the smirk.

"No problem Michael, the sun and light always come together."

"Luc why did it take us this long to figure it out?"

"Because we never had such a fantastic Keshet." Lucifer says as he goes back to kissing Steff's neck.

"Lucifer!" Steff shouts in frustration as she pushes him away.

"Steff!"

"You horny, bastard with wings!"

"Oh don't pretend, you know you love it."

"Not in front of him, and besides Cas should be getting us out in like half an hour."

"Really?" Michael says in wonderment that she actually had a real plan.

"I sensed doubt in that Michael." Steff answers as she turns her back to Lucifer who pushes out his lip, but with a smile he starts to rub her wings roughly causing Steff to just let out a soft moan.

"Well usually you just storm in without a plan." Michael says as he flaps his wings wishing someone would rub his.

"He has a point Sweetheart." Lucifer points out as he hits a particularly sensitive part of the wings.

"Yeah, but who usually saves your asses in the end?" Steff mutters as she pulls away from Lucifer's hands, much to Lucifer's confusion.

"You." They both mumble quietly as Steff stands a little closer to Michael.

"Exactly, now come here Michael." Steff says as she gestures with a wing.

"Why?" Michael asks not sure what her plan is.

"Because I wanna try something." Steff says with puppy dog eyes, and he just relents slowly walking over to her. When he gets there Steff whispers something in his ear that has Michael's wings fluttering with need and him readjusting his pants. Steff gently caresses his wings, plus Lucifer looking over with a curious glance.

"Steffanie that would be… wonderful." Michael says as he picks her up and pins her to a tree like Lucifer had done earlier.

"Steff what did you tell him?" Lucifer asks as he sees Michael begin placing needy kisses on her neck, right where Lucifer had left bruises.

"Nothing Lucifer, Michael stop." Steff moans breathlessly, causing Lucifer to begin growling low and threateningly in his throat.

"Yes Michael, stop!" Lucifer says as his wings puff up ready to take back his mate… forcefully.

"Oh sorry, sometimes I get carried away. My bad Lucifer."

"Mine." Lucifer growls out possessively and Steff just laughs while Michael backs away slowly.

"Yours, though you make me feel like a piece of meat." Steff says with smile.

"My piece of meat, now if he touches you again. I might smite him just on principal." Lucifer says as he pulls her close to him and wraps her in his arms.

"Please don't because I can feel a fight with your guy's father coming on after this."

"Well you always win so it's no big deal."

"Lucifer I only barely won last time, and that's cause I used myself as a lightning rod."

"A very attractive lightning rod."

"Be that as it may being struck by your own lighting isn't fun. I hope Violet and Seth haven't come for a visit yet." Steff says with a grimace just imagining their reactions.

"Yeah seeing us lying dead probably in the panic room won't be very good."

"What if someone tells them how we died?"

"Oh god, I hope Cas begins…" Steff doesn't get to finish that sentence as she feels a pull on their souls.


	52. Warnings and Indigo Roses

Bobby's house

Cas begins the spell and with a bright flash of light Dean, Sam, Bobby, Violet, Seth, Gabriel, and Balthazar watch as the souls go into their correct bodies. All of them watch as the inanimate bodies suddenly become animated again.

"Mom! Dad!" Her children shout as they rush forward to hug their parents.

"Violet, Seth it's been a long time. How's Heaven?" Steff asks as she hugs her son.

"Great Lilly and I have finally moved into one heaven." Seth tells her eagerly.

"Fantastic, Omniel kissed me for the first time!" Violet tells her mother excitedly.

"Vi that's fantastic, and Seth I'm so proud of you it takes a lot to share one heaven." Steff says with a smile as she hugs her daughter. Lucifer just smiles and waits for his turn to hug his kids.

"Dad, don't you ever do that again!" Violet scolds him angrily.

"Of course Vi, never." Lucifer promises as he hugs his daughter.

"Uncle Michael, don't you dare follow him either." Seth scolds his uncle as he pulls from his mother and embraces his uncle.

"Sorry Seth, I never meant to worry you." Michael says as he hugs Seth tightly, and Violet then walks over to Cas.

"I suggest you tread lightly." Violet warns and they see Cas nod, "Omniel is expecting me I need to go." She says pleasantly as she gives her parents a quick hug then heads back up to Heaven.

"As do I, Lilly wants to paint the house and needs my help." Seth says with a sigh as he waves goodbye to his parents while giving Cas a look of distrust, "Tread very lightly." Seth says to Cas and flies back to Heaven. The Winchesters and angels just look at one another trying to decide what to do next.

"They have your threatening presence Steff." Gabriel tells her and Steff just smirks.

"It's a Winchester trait, I'm gonna go shower." Steff says with a smile as she walks up the stairs dragging Lucifer behind her.

"Sweetheart I can walk on my own." They hear followed by a small chuckle from Steff. At this point Michael thinks about leaving, but isn't sure where to go. Knowing that his father is pissed at him, and anticipates a fight if he even tries to go back to Heaven.

"Michael…"

"I know Gabriel father is pissed." Michael says with a sigh as he runs a hand through his filthy blond hair that is no longer almost white, but now darker like Lucifers.

"Michael why don't you just go talk to him?" Gabriel suggests helpfully.

"Because he won't listen Gabe, he didn't listen when I tried to save Steff, and he won't listen to me now." Michael replies already excepting defeat.

"You have no idea how worried he has been Michael." Balthazar states coldly as he walks over to his brother.

"Balthazar what's your issue?" Gabriel asks noticing his brother's foul mood even though Steff was returned to him.

"It's nothing Gabriel."

"Really cause I have never seen you this down since the Titanic sank." Gabriel points out as Bobby exits the room going back to manning the phones. Sam and Dean just stand by their respective angels waiting for this to be solved.

"Gabriel don't to pretend to care about me or my emotions." Balthazar says with an angry glare to his brother.

"He's turning emo." Dean mutters quietly, only to be punched in the arm by Sam.

"Don't be a jerk Dean." Sam tells his brother with scowl.

"Balth what do you mean?" Gabriel tries again, but only receives a stiffening of his wings in response.

"Lucifer quit it!" The men hear come from the bathroom in a playful tone. When Balthazar hears this he just glares and disappears.

"You know he loves her right?" Dean tells Gabriel who just rubs his eyes in frustration.

"Dean I knew you were dense, but are you really that dumb?"

"Don't provoke him Gabriel." Cas says as he pulls his hunter close to him.

"Fine Cas, come on Sam." Gabriel says as he drags Sam upstairs to be with Michael. Dean and Cas just sigh when the two leave.

"Cas, I'm sorry."

"About what Dean?"

"Everything." He says as he kisses Cas deeply. Dean then shuts the door behind him as he let's Cas pin him to the bed taking the lead this time.

"Dean can I ask what the occasion is?"

"I'm just tired Cas."

"Tired of what?" Cas asks wondering if his partner might be too tired for sex tonight. Dean says nothing as he feels Cas kiss along his neck, nipping gently. Cas just smiles when Dean moans softly as he works his way down his Dean's chest, and to his surprise stopped when he goes to undo Dean's zipper.

"Cas not tonight."

"Dean what's wrong?" Cas asks knowing it must be bad if Dean didn't want him to give him head.

"Cas can we just…." Dean fades out, embarrassed at his need.

"Just what?"

"Cuddle." Dean practically whispers not wanting to admit how un-manly that sounds.

"Of course Dean." Cas says as he pulls Dean close to him with Dean resting his head on Cas' chest.

"Thanks Cas." Dean mumbles quietly as he closes his eyes and Cas feels his breathing slowly even out signaling that he had fallen asleep. He too just closes his eyes glad to see Dean finally asleep after not being able to with his sister and friends gone. He had been much to worried about the spell going wrong. Cas too feels himself slowly drifting into the realm of sleep next to his lover.

Kitchen

An hour later

After Steff had got done with her shower she had traveled down to the living room to see Michael asleep on the couch, Bobby at the phones, Gabriel and Sam were near the bookshelf discussing truth spells. Steff didn't even want to know why they wanted them.

"Steff there's some chowder on the stove if you're hungry." Bobby says as he picks up a phone. Steff just nods as she grabs a bowl and some chowder then sits down at the table and begins to eat it. She gets about halfway through the bowl before Lucifer wanders in.

"What is that fantastic smell?" Lucifer implores as he leans over Steff's chair.

"Chowder, Bobby makes the best. You want some?"

"Sure." Lucifer says as he sits at the table, and Steff gets him some grabbing a glass of water for herself and him too. That's when he notices how skinny his mate was and he asks, "Sweetheart when's the last time you ate?"

"I can't remember, why?" Steff says as she goes back to eating hers and Lucifer just takes it and fills it back up.

"You need to eat." Lucifer says as he hands it back to her, and she just looks at it with confusion.

"Why?" Steff asks as she picks her spoon back up and starts eating again.

"Because half of you is still human, and humans need food to survive." Lucifer says as he fiddles with a feather on Steff's wings.

"But why do you eat?" Steff asks as she takes a large bite spilling a few drops on her chest she goes to wipe it, but Lucifer licks it off before she can.

"It's all about the feeling." Lucifer says seductively as Steff pushes his head back.

"Didn't someone ever tell you that you have personal space issues?" Steff mutters as she takes another bite. Lucifer just smiles and finishes the rest of his bowl quietly. When Steff finishes her bowl she feels like she should eat another, but doesn't really feel like it. So she decides against it, and Lucifer just gives her a look.

"What?"

"You should eat something else especially because this last trip has done a number on your soul."

"Lucifer I feel fi…" Steff starts, but pretends to fall.

"Steff!" Lucifer says as he rushes to catch her.

"Luci chill, I was just kidding." Steff says as she rights herself in the chair, and chuckles a little.

"One day your gonna need help, and I'm gonna think you're just playing." Lucifer warns as he takes her bowl to the sink.

"Nuh-uh." Steff says in a childish voice.

"Oh yeah." Lucifer says with raised eyebrows as he sits back in his chair.

"Yeah because no matter what I do you will always come when I call." Steff says as she gets out of her chair and sits on Lucifer's lap.

"You know why?"

"Probably, but your gonna tell me anyways." Steff says as she kisses along his neckline, but is stopped when he pulls her head up.

"Because I will love you till the end of time and then the forever after, even on my darkest days you were my light in a sea of perpetual darkness." Lucifer admits, and kisses her deeply. Steff just smiles brightly till he pulls away. Where she sees the flash of gray wings, and hears the falling of rose petals on the ground. Steff gets off of Lucifer as she turns to see a bouquet of indigo roses lying crumpled on the kitchen floor. With a single gray feather that smells of scotch next to them. At first Steff can't place whose they are, but the feather makes her realize whose this is. Plus how the imprint on her finger warms tells her all that she needs to know.

"Balthazar?" Steff mumbles quietly as she picks up the flowers, which are suddenly aflame in her hands. She immediately drops them onto the floor, and stamps on them till the flames die out. When they're put out Steff just kneels down then begins to cry silent tears at the loss of the beautiful flowers, knowing the real meaning of them.

"Sweetheart what's wrong?" Lucifer asks in confusion seeing no reason for the tears over these flowers, even if they were beautiful.

"I'm sorry." Steff whispers into the ashes knowing that much like she had destroyed these. She too had also destroyed the love that was accompanied with them, and Lucifer just puts a hand on her back in comfort, not understanding but supporting her nonetheless.

"Steff why are you sorry?" Lucifer asks as he pulls her close to him, and away from the pile of ash.

"No reason, just sorry in general." Steff says as she dries her tears, and stands up out of his grip.

"I wish you would stop that." Lucifer says to her as he pulls her back into his embrace.

"Stop what?" Steff asks as she leans against him.

"Hiding things from me." Lucifer says and Steff just pulls from his grip again as she starts to walk into the living room. She sees Michael still passed out on the couch, and Gabriel now sitting on Sam's lap on the stairs.

"It's good to see among the living Steff." Sam remarks as he pushes Gabriel off his lap and to the side.

"Sammy stop doing that!" Gabriel says indignantly as he pouts on the stairs.

"Gabriel grow up." Sam mutters as he rolls his eyes.

"Okay, but only if you grow down." Gabriel says as he snaps his fingers, and Sam is reverted to the height of a six year old.

"Gabriel!" Sam says sharply noticing his size reduction. Gabriel just smirks as he picks him up and places him on his lap, ruffling his hair in the process.

"Sammy your adorable when you're angry… and tiny." Gabriel answers as he pulls him close. Sam just squirms out of his grip and walks over to Steff. She just smiles and picks up little Sam, who just giggles when she tosses him up then catches him.

"Sam, how about we go outside and I'll show you what it means to be an angel with unlimited powers of creation?" Steff asks and Sam just nods vigorously as they both leave the room heading outside.

Outside

When outside Steff uses her power to make a playground appear before them and Sam just smiles as he runs to play on it. Steff turns herself into a cat with a yawn and joins Sam on the playground, jumping onto the slide and chasing him down. The pair just plays like that for about two hours. However when Steff notices the sky darkening and thunder rumbling she turns back into a person and picks up Sam.

"Steff what are you doing put me down I wanna play?" Sam says as he squirms in her grip trying to get her to put him down. Steff just holds Sam closer, and walks quickly to the barn getting rid of the playground too. She decides on the barn because no one else will get hurt that way if they don't know.

"Sam I need you to stay here." Steff says as she sets him down in the stall with the cot and a blanket.

"But Steff I wanna go play!" Sam argues with a pout as he crosses his little arms. She just ruffles his hair and gives him a hug.

"Sammy I love you no matter what, and whatever happens just know that I did my best to protect you." Steff says seriously as a look of sadness shines in her eyes as she feels the ground shake in God's anger. Sam just gives her a confused look when she pulls away from him. He just makes a low whimper when Steff is about to leave him. She pauses in her steps, and turns to find Sam just looking at her with hurt in his eyes.

"Steff stay with me." Sam pleads with her as he runs over to her and wraps his tiny body around her legs. She just looks down at him and slowly unwraps him from her legs then sets him back in the stall.

"I'll never leave you Sam I'll always be here," Steff tells him as she points to his heart and he just looks at her with confusion. "Now Sam you need to stay here, so you can be safe." Steff says to him as she steps back again, and Sam just stands there still looking at her with hurt.

"Stay so you can be safe too." Sam begs her as she just looks away from him.

"I wish I could Sammy, but I need to go." Steff admits sorrowfully as she pulls away from him and walks outside closing the door behind her. From outside she can hear Sam shouting and pounding against the wooden door trying to open it, but Steff had locked it just to be sure he wouldn't get hurt in this upcoming fight. Steff watches with a grimace as a bolt of lightning strikes the ground. From the flash God emerges and approaches her, his wings ablaze with fire his body radiating waves of anger and power. God says nothing as he uses his power to slam Steff against the ground wordlessly, and Steff does nothing to stop him just accepting his punishment. He then strikes her with another bolt of lightning leaving Steff even more disoriented than before. She attempts to stand up only to be kicked in the side. She feels her ribs snap as she lands roughly a few feet away. Steff just uses one hand to push herself up with a loud painful groan, and judging by how it's hard for her to breathe…. She knows she has a punctured lung too. God just uses his powers to raise her high in the sky, and then smashes her against the ground. Breaking the arches in her wings rendering her flightless, and knocking the little breath from her as well.

"I win this time Keshet." God mutters with a smug smirk as he opens the door to the barn. He then flies back to Heaven leaving Steff nearly dead in the two-foot deep crater she made on the ground. When little Sam sees that the door is open he rushes out of it to see a large dent in the ground. Sam runs there to find his sister barely able to stay conscious breathing shallowly.

"Steff! Steff please stay awake come on! Steff!" Sam shouts frantically as he shakes her body roughly, wishing Gabriel wouldn't have turned him into a child.

"Sammy…" Steff groans out in pain as she tries to move, but can't.

"Steff don't move I'll go get help."

"Sammy don't leave me." Steff pleads with him, as she lies there in an immense amount of pain afraid that if he leaves she might die. Steff really didn't want to die alone in that crater, even if that meant preventing Sam from getting help. Sam just looks down at his pitiful sister, and nods slowly as he jumps down into the crater. He helps her sit up then lean her damaged back against the crater.

"Steff what happened?" Sam asks as he curls into her side and Steff just winces in pain, but pulls him as close as she can without crying out.

"God's wrath Sam, but I'll be…." Steff fades out as she looks down at Sam who has a worried look on his face.

"Steff I need to go get someone." Sam says as he unwinds himself from her gently.

"Sam, just hurry alright." Steff relents as she lies back and closes her eyes feeling death slowly creeping in with each step that Sam takes away from her. She wonders what will happen to her family, her angel, her friends, but most of all she wonders if her next reincarnation will be as great as this one was. She wonders if she'll remember being Steff, a hunter, or most of all an angel of Hell. But before she can dwell on these thoughts anymore, Steff feels the presence of several people.

"Well, well look what we have here boys." Steff hears as she cranes her neck to see a woman dressed in stylish clothing, and three men dressed in jeans with dark blue Henley thermal shirts.

"Fan freaking tastic." Steff curses as the woman gestures for the men to grab her. They do so as gently as possible given Steff's current state. One of the men twists Steff's arm to put it in a cuff causing her to grunt in pain. Steff just closes her eyes as one of them gently picks her up and the four disappear.


	53. A Breaking Point

Bobby's House

When Sam left Steff he immediately runs to the house, and bursts through the front door loudly causing everyone in the room to jump up in shock.

"Sam where's the fire?" Dean asks as his little brother just pants trying to catch his breath.

"Dean I need…. Help!" Sam says out of breath and Gabriel just tilts his head then turns Sam back into adult form.

"Alright Sam explain." Dean says and all the angels in the room turn to hear Sam's story.

"God came down and beat the shit out of Steff, then just left her there. When I left her she was fading in between consciousness and unconsciousness. Hurry I don't know if she can last much longer!" Sam shouts with panic as he runs back out the door with angels and brother in tow. When he gets to the crater they find it empty with no sign of Steff other than the single black feather bent in half with many pairs of footsteps surrounding the crater.

"Sam where is she?" Lucifer says in panic as he examines the hole seeing no sign of dragging.

"She was right here Lucifer… I shouldn't have left her. She told me not to leave her… but she needed help, and I didn't know what else to do." Sam rambles as he curses himself for leaving her.

"Wait what happened here?" Cas asks as he sees the ground splattered with blood.

"God fought Steff…. Well more accurately it was more like just a beating. Steff never even fought back just accepted it, it was like she just had no fight left." Sam tells them and watches as Cas just grimaces when he sees the imprint of her body in the ground.

"Lucifer I think he broke all of her wings." Michael says as he sees the complete outline on the ground. Lucifer just touches his finger to the blood, and rubs it between his thumb and forefinger with a thoughtful look.

"I'm gonna kill him Michael." Lucifer states with conviction after a minute of silence as he turns to face his brother fire in his eyes.

"Lucifer when we find her I will help you kill him, but right now we need to find her." Michael tells him and the brothers' turn to Cas.

"Find Balthazar." Lucifer orders and Cas just disappears to Heaven.

"Lucifer can you feel her?" Michael asks his brother with worry.

"No, but I believe she is alive." Lucifer says, as he can't feel her perse, but something tells him that she's alive. The men just nod in response waiting for Cas to show up.

An hour later

"What could possibly be that important Cas?" Balthazar says as he flies down to them when Cas had been freaking out in his Heaven then just disappeared.

"Balthazar we need your help to find…" Lucifer starts, but is cut off by the glare on Balthazar's face.

"Let me guess she ran away from you, and now I need to go find her." Balthazar says as he glares at Lucifer.

"Actually no, we…" Lucifer tries again only to be cut off again.

"Lucifer I'm not helping you this time…. She can die for all I care." Balthazar says with a bitter shrug, and watches as Lucifer's eyes narrow in anger.

"Alright you self-absorbed, angelic prick, that angel who you care so little about is my mate and… yours too! I will stop at nothing to save her; she saved me, you, and just about every other damn person here. So you're gonna suck up and help me or I will rip your grace out, and give it to a being more deserving of it." Lucifer says sternly, and watches as Balthazar just crosses his arms.

"No." Balthazar says rebelliously and Lucifer having had enough of his disrespectful brother punches him in the mouth.

"Let's try that again Balthazar." Lucifer says angrily as Balthazar staggers back.

"I said go fuck yourself Lucifer, and I hope she dies!" Balthazar shouts at him angrily as he disappears again. The men just watch in shock at what just happened.

"Fine we can find her without him." Lucifer says in a huff as he summons Xaphan and Samael.

"Lucifer what can I do for you?" Xaphan asks when he and Samael show up. However when they notice the crater and the blood, plus that Steff is missing they can almost guess what's about to be asked.

"Xaphan I need your help. Samael I'm putting you and the rest of the fallen in charge of Hell till she is found." Lucifer orders and Samael nods his head with a serious look.

"I will tell them, Lucifer just find her…. Alive." Samael says as he flies back down to Hell to tell the others of the situation. Lucifer and the others just stand there for a moment before someone speaks.

"Who would take her?" Dean asks trying to get this moving on.

"Angels, demons…. Hell even the Fae would want her." Michael says to Dean and just looks at the footprints hoping for some clue at all.

"Okay I see your point, but what could benefit most besides the obvious choices…. Who holds a grudge against her?" Sam asks as he looks around.

"Sam just about everyone holds a grudge against her, she stopped the damn Apocalypse for christ's sake." Gabriel says as he turns to his lover who just sighs in frustration.

"No Gabe, I think he's on to something…. Does anyone remember when she was captured by that witch?" Lucifer says remembering how she had been gone for over a year stuck in captivity with a witch.

"Yes I remember that vaguely, but she obliterated that witch if I remember correctly." Michael says remembering having seen that the last time he went through Steff's memories.

"Michael how often do you search my sister's memories?" Dean asks a little creeped out by his guardian angel.

"Dean I go through yours, your sisters, and Sams all the time." Michael remarks like its nothing.

"Then you've seen…."

"Yeah Dean."

"And…."

"Yup."

"God you're creepy." Dean mutters with a shudder, and Cas just pulls him close to him.

"Its okay Dean, don't be ashamed." Cas says as he gives Dean a kiss. Dean just shudders feeling suddenly very violated. The others just stare in shock as Michael just stands there in confusion at their reactions.

"Anyways… how do we find her?" Lucifer asks shaking the thought that Michael knew exactly what he and Steff had done in the bedroom out of his mind.

"Lucifer we'll have to wait for her or…." Michael trails off dreading to ask for their Father's help, but it will probably be needed unless Steff can contact them somehow.

"Michael no."

"Lucifer we…"

"No!"

"Very well, then without his help we have to wait." Michael resigns as he just disappears to where no one really knows. Dean and Sam just head back to Bobby to tell him the situation. Cas goes to Heaven to tend to his duties as an angel. Gabriel just turns into a cat, and pads over to Sam who picks him up and pets him. Lucifer and Xaphan go down to Hell to see if they can get any information from the demons.


	54. Taking a stroll down memory lane... but not by choice

Several days later

Steff

When Steff awakes she is on a relatively soft surface that she identifies as a bed. She looks around the room to find that it's a simple hospital room with a small desk, a single window overlooking a forest, and a curtain dividing the room in half. She doesn't know why, but something about this room feels familiar to her. At first Steff just thinks she's alone, but when she hears a loud snore; Steff realizes she's not alone.

"Hey you wake up." Steff whispers loudly, trying to get the other person's attention.

"Mmm…. Go back to sleep Dean, we'll be there soon." The man grumbles groggily. Steff hearing Dean's name plus the sound of his train, snore sits up straight realizing who it is.

"John? John Winchester wake up!" Steff shouts and she hears covers rustle followed by the sound of metal clanging against metal. This makes Steff realize that the weight she felt around her wrist was probably a cuff too.

"Wha… Steff?" John says groggily as he blinks his eyes at his surroundings. He had been in a motel tracking Steff before he had gotten captured by a group of witches.

"Yeah who else, your grandmother?" Steff says sarcastically as she begins to twist against the cuff.

"Yup that's definitely you. How did we get here?" John asks as he too begins to struggle against the cuff holding him to the bed.

"Well I got captured after God broke my…. They don't hurt anymore… LUCIFER!" Steff shouts out in confusion and is only met by an unnatural silence, not even a creak.

"Steff can you use your powers at all?" John asks knowing angels had some sort of powers, so he figured she might be able to do something. Steff checks and sees that she can use them, which just confuses her even more.

"Yeah…. John why would they leave me my powers?" Steff asks her father as she melts the cuff off of her wrist. John doesn't answer remembering how they had left off after the last encounter. He could still feel the hate and anger coming from Steff as she limped off away from him.

"I don't know Steff." John admits as he watches his daughter work meticulously to detach the restraints from his body. When they're gone he just smiles as he sees her wings turn from black to a dark shade of sapphire. "So beautiful." He whispers as he feels a feather brush his shoulder. Steff just turns to him, and immediately pulls her wings close to her.

"Sorry, about that, now how do we escape?" Steff says as she tries the door, and sees that it opens easily. "What the hell is going on here?" She mutters in confusion as she exits the room walking out into the hallway. Steff puts her hand to the wall using her powers to sense for any other life forms, but comes up empty so Steff just walks back into the room.

"What is it?" John asks as he searches the room finding their stuff, and grabbing his assorted weapons. Steff just picks up her knife and notices how the blade isn't warm, but rather scorching hot.

"Something very powerful." Steff says as she clips the sheath onto her jeans then grabs one of John's many knife. She slips it up into the sheath in her jacket. John just eyes the shiny silver angel blade she holds in her hands ready for attack.

"What is that Steff?"

"An angel blade, kills just about everything and never needs sharpening." Steff says mechanically, still trying to figure out what's happening to them as she and John leave the room.

"So what happened before you woke up here?" John asks, as he looks around seeing no one else but them.

"I was in a crater waiting for Sammy to bring help." Steff responds coldly as her usual hate for her father sinks back in to her voice.

"Stop that." John orders sharply and watches as Steff stops then spins around to face him.

"What?"

"I'm your father."

"That's nice. You want a god damn Nobel Peace Prize, or something?" Steff says angrily brushing him off as she just continues walking, looking for any signs of life other than them. John just grabs her shoulder pulling her to a stop.

"It doesn't have to be like this, we can…. Well I don't know what we can be, but it doesn't need to be this." John tells her and she just looks at him with confusion.

"This is what you wanted remember, why having buyer's remorse John?" Steff says with a cold, uncaring tone. Needless to says she's not really in the mood caring about his feelings, a little more worried about how the hell they're gonna get out of here. "Sam and Dean must be worried sick…. Not to mention Lucifer, God I hate you." Steff says in frustration as she pulls away and continues down the hallway looking in every room. John just follows her quietly willing to let her take lead. After about searching about seven rooms Steff hears the sound of a small child crying. At first Steff freezes, but when she hears the child call out in terror her parenting instincts kick in. She rushes in to find a little girl with long wavy red hair just shaking in a corner; hiding her eyes under a blanket crying. Steff walks over to the little girl slowly trying not to frighten her anymore than she already is.

"Shhh, it's alright." Steff says quietly as she approaches the little girl. The girl just looks up at Steff with big blue eyes filled with tears.

"Where's my dad?" She asks Steff and Steff just stares at the girl as she kneels down to her level.

"I don't know Sweetie, but can you tell me your name?" Steff asks and the little girl just looks at Steff with terror in her eyes.

"Steff." The little girl says quietly.

"Steff?" Steff mutters in confusion.

"WHERE'S MY DAD?" The girl shrieks at Steff then fades out of existence. Steff just backs away realizing why this all felt so familiar to her.

"No this…. This can't be…" Steff says as she backs away in shock, and runs right into John.

"Steff what is it?" John asks as he grabs Steff's shoulders steadying her.

"Memories." Steff says to him in horror, utterly terrified of the memories that could be let loose to wreak havoc on her mind again.

"What?" John asks in confusion.

"That was me John. It was the time I got lost in a hospital when Dean and Sam were asking some of the patients questions. I was seven and I was terrified, so I hid in one of the empty rooms." Steff recalls remembering how it had taken the nurses, and her brothers two hours to find her. John just stares at her in bewilderment.

"But…"

"John I think we're reliving my memories, but I don't know how or why." Steff answers as they exit the room continuing down the hallway and after a minute of walking they notice how it shifts from being a hospital to being a motel room. When that happens they also notice an older Steff middle teens just packing a duffle bag grabbing silver bullets, a silver knife, and a newspaper article. Steff recognizes this as the time she was fourteen, and ran away to go hunting on her own.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow." Both Steff's mutter in unison as they watch the fourteen year old girl leave the motel room, John just watches as Steff just sighs and the room shifts into the panic room in Bobby's house. This Steff was sitting in the room stitching several wounds closed and eyeing her broken leg with a grimace.

"John if you're alive I hope you rot in h…." This Steff just mutters, but is cut off by the scream that lets loose from her lips as she tries to shift the bone into its correct position. John just watches as the real Steff just grimaces at the pain.

"Steff?" John asks hesitantly.

"What John?" Steff says icily, closing her eyes wishing she were anywhere but here. She gets that wish, as the new scene appears before them. It's when Steff makes the deal with Crowley for her brother's souls for hers. John just watches with regret as his daughter sells her soul to Crowley for a week.

"No…" John mutters in a tone saturated with anguish and watches as the other Steff just smiles politely at the demon. She then walks back to the car then drives off back to Bobby's.

"That wasn't all that bad, Crowley and I are really good friends now." Steff remarks quietly, and John just stares at her in disbelief.

"You saved them, both of them." John just mutters in disbelief, and Steff just smiles at her father's speechlessness.

"They couldn't live without each other, but they could live without me." Steff mumbles sadly and John just stares at her in slight amazement… that she was willing to sacrifice herself so that her brothers could be happy.

"You sold your soul for both them… you went to Hell." John just says in amazement, still trying to comprehend this.

"Yeah I did, and I would do it again to save them." Steff remarks as the memory shifts to her chained to a wall in Hell while crying out for Dean to save her.

"Dean!" The other Steff screams as blood and dirt covered her body. John just watches as a demon just laughs looking just like him, as he drags a knife across her skin leaving large deep cuts.

"You know he isn't coming Steff…. In fact from what I heard he could care less." The demon John taunts her, but the other Steff just looks at him with defiance in her eyes.

"You know if you really want to do some damage you should try coming in as Dean, not some asshole who visited me a handful of times. Then left me with my brothers, and basically acted like he hated me." Other Steff taunts at the demon that just balks, and leaves the room coming back as Dean.

"Now let's play." Demon Dean says with the cocky grin Dean usually wears, and it causes other Steff to just smile at him with tears in her eyes.

"At least I get to see him again… even if it is just some fake, demonic, scumbag copycat." Other Steff mutters optimistically as the demon stabs her in the chest. John just watches in horror for a few minutes as the demon tears into Steff's body. The demon leaves large, jagged cuts and he watches as she tries to hold back her screams, but as the cuts go deeper she fails. John just closes his eyes not wanting to watch his only daughter be torn apart. His heart wrenching as he listens to the screams knowing that she was much stronger than him to be able to endure this for the better part of two years. He just sighs in relief when the scene changes. However his relief is short lived when he sees that in this one Steff is strapped to a table. She has Lucifer's hand in her midsection, and in an attempt to calm her Lucifer transforms into John. Other Steff just looks at him and laughs slightly from the table.

"Is that supposed to be calming?" Other Steff taunts as she grunts out in pain.

"I figured your father…"

"Lucifer I hate my father…. Damn that hurts! Turn into Sam." Other Steff says in a tight voice between gasps of pain, and Lucifer just nods as he turns into Sam soothing voice with his long wispy hair and all.

"Better Sweetheart?"

"Not really." Steff tells him and he just turns back into himself then continues what he was doing. John at this point doesn't want to see anymore of his daughter horrible torture. So he just closes his eyes trying to block the sound of his daughter screaming in pain out of his mind. He turns to see Steff just laughing as she watches his reactions.

"You haven't even gotten to some of the worse ones yet."

"How can you be so relaxed at this? Steff if I were you, I would have…"

"What John? what would you have done?"

"Killed myself." John says quietly and Steff just glares at him.

"I tried several times…. Sam and Lucifer wouldn't allow it, hell even God brought me back." Steff says to him and he just stares at her speechless.

"I should…."

"What could you have done John? Huh!" Steff demands of him angrily. She was so sick and tired of everybody telling her that her life was hard… she knew that. She didn't need or want others who just caught a glimpse of it to feel sorry for her. She never wanted anyone's pity… she didn't need them to care… she just wanted to move on. Steff wanted this pain to just bury itself down… bury itself deep down in the very depths of her soul…. Where it lies silent, forgotten for a while.

"I…"

"What could you have done to save me John, seriously what could you have done? I was finished the day my mother gave birth to me." Steff tells him and he just continues his silent stare, "Mary told me to tell you that she misses you." Steff says quietly and John just turns to her.

"What?" John says in surprise, having not expected Steff to tell him that.

"Dean and I visited her in Heaven and she told me to tell you that she misses you." Steff explains to him and can't help, but soften her facial expression when he smiles.

"Mary…. I miss her too."

"She knows." Steff says and watches as the man breaks down into tears. At first Steff just stands there watching him cry. She can't help the pity that enters her eyes as she looks at her crying father, but after a minute or two she realizes that the memories have stopped replaying. "John what were you hunting before you got captured?"

"You."

"What?"

"I was attempting to track you because Bobby wouldn't tell me, and your brothers wouldn't answer my calls anymore." John tells her and she just scrubs her face in frustration much like Dean, John can't help the small smile that graces his face.

"Okay… so what would want two Winchesters?" Steff asks him and watches as he just smiles with a cocky grin that reminds her a little of Dean causing her to smile just a little.

"Let's be honest Steff, you're one of the most influential beings in creation and a Winchester; anything that breathes wants to kill us." John tells him and suddenly before they can discuss it anymore the scene shifts into the time that Onyx had captured her. They both watch as other Steff just shuts down, and allows the witch to do what ever he wants with her. Then they watch when Steff finally rebels from him and kills him then spreads him across the universe. The memory draws something to the surface of Steff's mind it was the project that Onyx had been working on.

"Oh shit." Steff says suddenly realizing what was happening.

"What?" John asks as he turns to see his daughter holding her head thinking.

"Amethyst." Steff utters and once she does both of them just fall unconscious instantly.

Real world

A couple hours later

When Steff awakes this time she is strapped into a chair next to John who is still under.

"Dad wake up, we need to get out of here now!" Steff whispers urgently to her father as his eyes open slowly taking in their new surroundings. She notices how her wings are still broken and causing her an immense amount of pain. However she can't focus on that right now. 'I need to get him out of here… but how?' Steff thinks to herself.

"Steff… what is happening?" John asks groggily as he comes out from under the drugs.

"Dad you have to…"

"Oh leaving so soon Pet." Amethyst drawls out just like Onyx used to as she and two other witches enter the room. Steff just shudders at the few times she had met the sadistic djinn. Often Onyx would have to restrain his over zealous mate from killing Steff.

"Amethyst." Steff growls out as she uses her powers to melt the sigils on the back of her chair quietly. They dampened her power, but not enough to restrain her completely.

"Steffanie Marie Winchester and her father the infamous John Winchester, I see you figured your way out of my husband's work." Amethyst says as she approaches them with a needle in hand. Steff just uses her powers to burst forth from the chair, and immediately the two witches are on her. They manage to restrain her while she tries to distract them from the fact that she is casting a little of her grace towards John, in an attempt to free him. However she doesn't have enough grace to spare for it so instead she concentrates on eliminating the witches. Amethyst just walks over to John with the needle, and is about to plunge it in when Steff makes it burst in her hands.

"Can't stop telekinesis bitch." Steff sneers at her as she ignites her body causing the witches to jump back in surprise. She then calls forth a few lightning bolts, effectively striking all of the insignificant witches in the room burning them to a crisp. Leaving just her and Amethyst plus John tied to a chair in the room.

"What a powerful pet my husband had, how did he ever manage to contain you?" Amethyst says with a sneer as she and Steff just circle each other, reminding John of predators about to rip the other's throat out.

"Well let's just say I was a little distracted, but you have my full attention now." Steff utters as she advances toward Amethyst, but can't get to close based on the fact that she was a djinn. Plus she still had some deep injuries from the fight with God that would need Lucifer or another archangel to heal completely. Amethyst just reaches out and manages to knick Steff with the briefest of touches, her poison causing Steff to waver in step slightly.

"I'm much more powerful angel. Now if you come here quietly, I'll kill him quickly." Amethyst says in a sickly sweet voice. Steff just lunges at her in an attempt to stab her, but only manages to get herself knocked onto the ground. Amethyst just laughs as she sits on Steff holding down her legs. She just laughs when she puts a hand to Steff's face the poison slowly sinking into Steff's skin causing the angel to become hazy.

"Dad I forgive y..." Steff whispers as she uses the last of her strength to transport John as close to Bobby's as she could. Then with a weak smile, she feels an inky blackness tugging at her and she allows it to pull her under its promising emptiness. The last sound Steff hears before she slips down completely is the cackle of Amethyst's triumphant laughter.

Bobby's House

About three miles out

When John lands he looks around his surroundings and sees a sign for Singer's Auto.

"No!" He whispers in sadness, wondering why the daughter who hates him so much would sacrifice herself to save him. However John realizes that this isn't the time to contemplate this. So he dusts himself off, and sprints the rest of the way to the house. When he arrives at the house he bangs on the door loudly.

"Hold on I'm coming…. Cas put some damn clothes on!" He hears Dean shout as he opens the door to find his father standing there impatiently.

"Son I need your help, she barely got me out before Amethyst got to her." John says and his son just stares at him in shock.

"Dad?"

"Yes Dean, it's me. Now can we focus, I need to now about any djinn activity around here recently." John tells his son who just nods obediently, and goes to find Bobby. Cas just comes down the stairs and glares at John.

"I don't trust him." Cas states suddenly as he watches John's movements with a calculating stare.

"Well I don't trust you either, Dean who and why is he here?" John asks wondering what this stranger is doing here and Dean just darkens slightly.

"Dad this is Castiel…. He is uhh…. Cas what are we exactly?" Dean asks having never really put a title to their relationship, and he just watches as Cas stiffens slightly.

"You are my human consort, just like Sam is Gabriel's." Cas replies stoically, and Dean just looks more confused. John just looks Cas up and down with a surprised look.

"Dean your gay?" John asks in confusion, not that he was homophobic or anything.

"Yes John he is, and I'm an angel by the way. I love your son very much." Cas states with surety, and Dean just ducks his head down.

"Is this true Dean?" John asks looking for conformation.

"Yes sir."

"Well… if he makes you happy then so be it. Now who is Gabriel?" John asks and all of sudden Sam shows up in Gabriel's arms.

"That would be me." Gabriel says and when Sam sees his father he immediately separates from Gabriel. "Awww Moosey come back."

"Dad what… why are you here?" Sam asks as he pulls away, only to get pulled back into Gabriel's arms when the archangel uses his bronze wings to pull him in. "Gabe please stop."

"That's not what you said when I was…"

"SHUT UP GABRIEL!" Sam shouts as he pulls several feathers from his lover's wing.

"Ow! Sammy that hurt!" Gabriel exclaims at his lover as he grabs Sam's hair and pulls him down to his level. "Go be a puppy." Gabriel says as Sam just turns into a puppy.

"I hate you sometimes!" Sam barks out as he moves over to his father who just stares with an open mouth. He knew his sons were strange, but this was just weird.

"Well I love you all the time, so when you can be nice I'll turn you back." Gabriel states as he moves to pick up Sam, but Sam just growls at him. "I will get you Samuel. Maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow, but some day I will."

"Anyways back to my earlier question, djinn activity whatcha got?" John says as he sits over on the couch and Sam jumps up next to him. Sam just lies next to his father and John just awkwardly begins to pet his son, "Sammy your hair has always been really soft."

"I know Dad, and your question about djinn activity, they haven't been active at all." Sam responds as his father strokes his head causing his tail to thump, and John can't help but smile.

"Alright, then how about witches?" John asks and Dean just shakes his head in no.

"Dad ever since Steff was beat by God there has been nothing, we just assumed he was angrily smiting things." Dean tells him and John just scrubs his face in frustration.

"Why was God beating her?" John asks wondering why his daughter was picking fights with deities.

"She saved both Lucifer and Michael from Purgatory. Cas was he still pissed about how she saved you too?" Dean asks as he looks to his angel for conformation.

"I think it was more Michael and I because he was okay with Lucifer, or maybe it was the way she just continues to disobey him time after time; either way she got the shit kicked out of her." Gabriel interjects as he eyes Sam on the couch being petted by his father.

"Okay, so who do we call to save her?"

"LUCIFER!" Dean shouts and him plus Michael show up.

"Did you… oh its John." Lucifer says with disgust.

"Lucifer…. You bastard I saw what you and your demons did to her! How could you?" John shouts as he jumps off the couch and glares at him.

"How?" Lucifer asks wondering what kind of torture Steff was possibly enduring right now.

"Amethyst she's a djinn, she was making Steff and I relive her memories." John tells him and Lucifer just holds his glare with John.

"I…"

"You heartless, demonic, bastard! When we save her I'll make sure you stay far from her." John promises and Lucifer just balks.

"Dad…" Dean says in a warning tone.

"Dean take your brother, your angels and leave."

"No, your not going to take him away from Steff; as her father I won't allow you to make her unhappy again." Dean says defiantly and John just glares at his son in surprise.

"You're not her father." John says challengingly to his defiant son.

"I'm more her father then you ever were." Dean points out to him as his father just glares at him harshly.

"…." John can't think of a good comeback because when it came down to it… Dean was right.

"That's what I thought Dad. So why don't you just let Lucifer over here search through your mind so he can get a location." Dean says authoritatively and John just nods as Lucifer puts a hand to his head seeing exactly what happened to them.

"I can't believe it!" Lucifer says in shock as he watches Steff tell him she forgave him then used her remaining strength to transport him here.

"What Lucifer?" Sam asks as he moves over to the group still as a puppy.

"She saved him instead of saving herself. Of all the people she has ever saved, hell the polar bear was worth more to the world than him." Lucifer groans out in frustration, "I wish she didn't prioritize family so much."

"Hey I resent that!" Dean says as he gives Lucifer a glare.

"Oh go suck an angel." Michael mutters tired of her outspoken brother.

"Alright you idjits, are we gonna save Steff or what?" Bobby says as he walks into the room tired of listening to them bicker; Winchesters really had a knack for it.

"I planned on it, but we still can't find her location." Lucifer tells the older man who just nods in understanding.

"We could ask Father." Cas suggests quietly, only receiving glares from everyone.

"No." Michael and Lucifer say at the same time.

"I thought angels loved God." John says in confusion.

"Well we don't." Michael replies bitterly and the others just nod quickly.

"Then we just have to wait, or see if we can reason with Balthazar again." Gabriel suggests, only to be met by Lucifer's frigid glare, "Fine we wait." The men just groan as Bobby, Dean, and puppy Sam leave the room for another attempt at tracking spell. Lucifer and Michael disappear again while Cas disappears with Gabriel right behind him. John just stands there not sure what he can do, obviously not wanted by his sons. So he just leaves walking out the back door heading towards the woods. John just slowly walks through the forest eventually coming to the middle where the lake is.

"God what did I do wrong?" John prays quietly.

"John Winchester, you are asking the wrong man." God says as he appears next to the hunter; John just turns to him with a surprised look.

"So your God."

"The very one."

"What's wrong with you, you seem…" John asks as he notices God's defeated expression.

"Sad?"

"Yeah."

"Well let's just say children are…"

"Difficult, unpredictable, rebellious, bitter… astounding." John adds quietly.

"Amen." God says to the hunter who just nods his head in agreement.

"How can they hate us for so long, but when it comes down to the end sacrifice themselves to save us?" John asks still not sure why Steff saved him when she could have just saved herself.

"I'm assuming you're talking about your daughter." God says regretfully remembering how he had left her in a hole battered, broken, and nearly dead.

"She hated me, yet…" John starts, but isn't sure where he's going with it so he fades out.

"She saved you didn't she?"

"Could have saved herself, yet she transported me here."

"Amethyst?"

"How did you know?"

"I'm God remember, I know just about everything, except her location. Amethyst is a very powerful djinn… and old. Her husband Onyx was a witch, he too was very powerful." God explains to John as he just stands there thinking of a possible solution.

"I see…. You know they really don't like you… at all?" John informs God who just looks down at the hunter.

"I can't please them all."

"No, I suppose you can't."

"Has Dean ever disobeyed you?" God asks curiously.

"Once."

"Why?"

"Because Sam was in danger, he just ran in there. Complete disregard of my orders; it's like his only focus was saving his brother and he did, but damn near died trying." John tells him and God just listens contently. A silence falls between the fathers just wondering how to fix this. "God why do you ask?" John asks after a minute or two.

"Because Michael rebelled, he directly disobeyed me to save his younger brother. However he only managed to get himself killed trying to save him, and to save both of them Steff killed herself." God tells John who just stares at him not sure what to say.

"Does she love him?" John asks remembering how angry Dean had become even though he knew what Lucifer had done to Steff, when he threatened to try to separate them.

"Who, Steff?"

"Yes."

"Steff is a fickle angel. She loves Lucifer, but…"

"But what?"

"My son Balthazar, she loves him as well and he loves her but Lucifer trumps him all the while her heart calls to him like a siren to a sailor…"

"Father that is the lamest metaphor I have ever heard." Balthazar says as he appears next to his father and John.

"Son how are you today?" God asks pleasantly, knowing his son was still very resentful of his situation; but deep down he still loved her no matter what he said.

"I'd be better if I knew where she was."

"Wait, are you Balthazar?" John asks trying to keep track of all these names.

"Yeah, I'm the angel who loves your daughter, and would never hurt her to gain her love but yet I'm the one left out in the cold. While the angel who destroyed her soul gets to cuddle up next to her every night." Balthazar says bitterly.

"Does she love you?" John asks wondering how Steff could just leave him.

"She does." Balthazar tells him as he looks at the hunter.

"Then she will…."

"She will never choose you over me Balthazar, never." Lucifer says as he shows up suddenly. He had been wondering where John had gotten off to.

"If you gave her a choice she might."

"Brother if it's a fight you want, then I will gladly fight for her."

"Sons stop this is why I had Michael make bonds in the first place." God says as he steps between his sons.

"Steff has like three bonds and an imprint last time I checked. Plus she and Cas have some kind of weird guardian charge telepathy shit that allows them to talk all the time… that I have no idea how to stop, because hearing her scream 'Cas next week is no good' at climax isn't what I want at all! I mean they were having a mental conversation right then and there!" Lucifer shouts angrily at his father who just looks at him with a sympathetic look, "Or hell last time we had sex she shouted out 'Tell Dean to apologize to Sam!' How is she doing that while I'm with her!? I always knew she was a great multi-tasker, but come on!" Lucifer shouts in frustration at his father, John just stares at him with wide eyes.

"Is she a whore?" John asks although he already knew the answer to it just wanted to make sure.

"No John she isn't a whore!" Balthazar and Lucifer shout in unison at him.

"She sounds like a teenage Dean. He slept with anything that moved, except without the telepathy." John comments quietly.

"Our family is so fucked up." Sam says quietly as he and Dean show up attracted by the yelling.

"Sam what was your first clue?" Dean asks sarcastically and Lucifer just whirls on him.

"Dean tell your god damn angel to stay out of my mate's head!" Lucifer shouts at him and Dean just backs up.

"Umm sure… anything else you wanna get off your chest Lucifer?" Dean asks as he watches his friend lose a few stress wrinkles on his face.

"No, I think I'm good Dean."

"You sure because I can go get Cas." Dean offers.

"What did you need Dean?" Cas asks showing up when he heard Dean call for him.

"Next time you have a telepathic conversation with her Cas. I will kill you." Lucifer states and Cas just looks at him in confusion.

"But I enjoy talking to her, and it's a lot faster when I don't have to track her."

"Cas don't push him right now." Dean tells his angel who just nods and stands next to Dean quietly.

"Oookay now that this is all cleared up how about we find her?" God asks his sons and finally turns Sam back into a person.

"Thank the lord, thou art in… the forest with me." Sam says as he turns to see God just smiling slightly at Sam's terminology.

"Where is Michael?" God asks wishing he would show up so he would know if he's all right.

"He's hiding from you." Lucifer tells his father who just sighs.

"Why?"

"Because he thought you were gonna banish him from Heaven, and apparently he didn't want a formal banishment." Lucifer tells his dad.

"Why would I banish him from Heaven?"

"Because he knows that you're pissed at him. Michael never did handle your anger very well."

"I wasn't scared of him Lucifer." Michael says as he appears next to them.

"Well then why were you hiding in Hell with me?" Lucifer asks him curiously.

"Because I was curious as to how you run it down there; I was actually surprised at how efficient it is." Michael tells his brother.

"Thanks, now are we gonna find Steff or what?" Lucifer says anxiously wanting to get his mate back as quickly as possible.

"We can't find her, not even Castiel's weird ass telepathy can find her." Dean says to him.

"So what now?"

"We wait." God tells his sons, John, and her brothers who just groan.

"But Dad I hate waiting." Lucifer says as he runs his hand through his hair in frustration.

"Luc patience is a virtue." God says to his son who just flips him off. The men just sigh glad to have that tension gone, but still pissed because Steff was gone.


	55. An Unlikely Rescue and Choices That No One Wishes to Make

Meanwhile

Several days later

Steff

While her family was working out there problems Steff was stuck in perpetual Hell… her own memories. After reliving some of the more traumatic ones she just laughs at this point knowing that they aren't real, well at least physically happening to her real. Steff can't help, but laugh while she gets re-tortured by Lucifer quoting herself along the way.

"Amethyst you may as well give up, I'm never gonna crack!" Steff shouts tauntingly as she comes back into consciousness between the doses.

"But Pet we're having such a good time." Amethyst says with mock disappointment as she approaches Steff with a needle in hand.

"Really, you enjoy reliving my psychological tragedies?" Steff asks sarcastically with raised eyebrows as she feels a needle pushed into her neck and then something injected in. Amethyst just laughs sadistically as Steff begins to fade again, but before she does she swears she can see Gordon in the corner with a finger to his lips in the 'shhh' gesture. She just closes her eyes as the inky darkness drags her back under.

Another couple of days later

Real World

When Steff awakes she is no longer tied to a chair, but lying in a bed clean and in fresh clothes; however she also notices that she's smaller too.

"Help!" Steff shouts out reflexively but she curses her stupidity, when she hears the sound of light footsteps approaching her room. She instantly falls silent when the door opens as she pretends to be asleep.

"Really Steff, I know you're awake." A familiar voice says cheerily.

"Mara?" Steff asks in confusion as she tries to sit up, but is met with an immense amount of pain radiating from her wings. Mara just pushes her back down gently.

"Steff your wings are broken, and I don't think you can fly." Mara tells her as she helps Steff lay back down.

"Mara you're a witch, why are you doing this?" Steff asks sleepily as Mara just tucks the sheets around her gently, and hands her the black stuffed unicorn she had used last time she was there. Steff's little hands just pull the stuffed unicorn close to her as she nods off into sleep.

"Because I always wanted a daughter." Mara whispers as she kisses the top of Steff's head lovingly. Using her powers to influence her dreams to make them good memories trying to ease the angel's mind a little. She just walks out of the room leaving the door cracked incase Steff needs something. Mara just strolls down to the main room where Gordon was keeping track of the children.

"Lady Mara how is she?" Gordon says worriedly as he rushes to his mistress with a hopeful smile.

"She is in pain and confused, but other than that not damaged." Mara replies as she picks up a child who had ran over to her with Gordon.

"Lady Mara can I go home now, I miss my family?" The little boy asks and Mara just smiles.

"Of course, Gordon will you take him home for me?" Mara asks as she hands him over to Gordon who just nods then disappears. She just smiles at the other kids who are slowly winding down for the night. "Children bed time!" Mara shouts and the children instantly gather around her for their bedtime story. "Alright now if I remember correctly we were half-way through Graceling." Mara says as she and the children settle on the cots with their blankets and assorted stuffed animals. She just begins to read and eventually the children begin to nod off after an hour of reading. "Goodnight." She whispers as the room is filled with the sound of soft snoring; after that she goes back to check on Steff. Mara watches as the little angel just whimpers quietly in her sleep. Wondering what's the matter Mara just settles on the bed next to her, and puts a hand to her back pushing waves of comfort to the angel's body trying to block out most of the pain.

"Shhh, it's okay Baby… I'll make it better, shhh." Mara whispers soothingly to the distressed girl, who just falls silent as she turns around to face Mara and curls into the witch. She can't help, but smile at the little angelic girl's action; eventually Mara falls asleep next to Steff on the bed.

Two hours later

When Gordon returns from taking the child home, he panics when he can't find his mistress but settles when he hears her snore coming from Steff's room. He opens the door to find her holding the little angel while asleep.

"She killed Herald." Gordon mumbles to himself as he feels a smile tugging at his lips, "Herald always was an ass." Gordon says as he smiles then shifts into a German Shepard then lies on the end of the bed falling asleep too.

Next morning

The next time Steff awakes she feels a furry body sleeping next to her. She opens her eyes slowly to find a large German Shepard lying with her on the bed.

"Gordon?" Steff asks quietly and the dog just blinks its eyes open.

"Woof!" The dog barks at Steff.

"Seriously." Steff yawns as she rubs her eyes and gives the dog a skeptical look.

"Your good Steff." Gordon says as he gives her face a lick before he jumps off the bed. Steff just smiles and tries to fly away, but when she tries to flap her wings she just cries out in pain.

"Steff you can't fly yet!" Mara says as she rushes to the girl's aid.

"Mara?" Steff asks quietly still very lethargic from sleep.

"Sure is Baby." Mara says in a comforting tone as she helps Steff off the bed, careful not to bump her wings into or on anything. Steff just leans against Mara content to let this witch be motherly to her in her time of pain, seeing as it was she who had saved her from Amethyst.

"Mara, I need you to call for Lucifer." Steff says to her as she just follows Mara out into the main room.

"Steff is that really necessary?" Gordon asks as he strolls up to them.

"Yes my wings won't heal on their own, I need my mate's grace for them to be fixed." Steff says as she pets Gordon's head gently, smiling when he begins to wag his tail. "I thought you hated me because of Herald?"

"Herald was an ass." Gordon states with a smile and Steff just laughs quietly then continues in the voice he uses to talk to children, "Why don't you go over there Steff, I need to talk to Lady Mara?"

"I'm not a child Gordon." Steff says indignantly to him as her look hardens slightly.

"Sorry, I work with children all day."

"Its okay, I'll be over there dog breath." Steff says with a smile as she walks away from them slowly going to one of the tables designating for coloring. Mara just watches her with a smile, and Gordon turns back into a man.

"You need to call him Lady Mara." Gordon states and Mara just looks away from her loyal lover.

"Just a few more days Gordon, just…"

"No Mara, unless you wish angelic wrath upon yourself and these children." Gordon tells her as he gives her a kiss. She just looks at him sadly.

"But I want her to be happy."

"As do I, but this isn't the right way to go about it. Now go, I will watch the children while you call him." Gordon orders her gently not wanting to make her any unhappier then she already was. Mara just sighs as she walks away leaving Gordon in charge. She walks outside of the warehouse, and groans wondering whom she should actually pray to, but figures a prayer to Lucifer should suffice.

"Lucifer, its Mara. I rescued Steff a few days ago and I have her here with me she's safe, but her wings are broken." Mara shouts up into the sky and when nothing happens at first she thinks she did something wrong. But eventually Lucifer shows up with multiple people.

"Mara what do you mean?" Lucifer asks as he approaches the witch.

"Gordon and I managed to rescue her from Amethyst's clutches, she was always such a bitch… anyways I had to shrink Steff so that I could heal most of the wounds, however her wings are still broken." Mara explains to him and watches as the men just grimace.

"Where is she?" Dean asks as he approaches the witch who smiles at the man.

"I remember you, you were the feisty little one who bit me."

"Yeah I know, now where is Steff?"

"Inside with Gordon, they're coloring right now." Mara tells him as she leads them into the building. She hears some of the men just say, "Whoa." This causes Mara to chuckle softly and smile. When they get into the room she led them to, John just looks around the room to find Steff at a small table coloring with a German Shepard that is holding a crayon between its teeth.

"Steff this is ridiculous." Gordon muffles out trying to talk over Steff's giggles.

"Gordon your teeth are blue now!" Steff points out in between laughs, and doesn't see when Lucifer walks up behind her as he puts his hands over her eyes.

"Guess who?" Lucifer says playfully and Steff doesn't move just sits stone still.

"Cas?" Steff says, knowing full well whom it is since she has known those hands for such a long time.

"No try again."

"Dean?"

"Nope."

"Gabriel?"

"Sweetheart come on."

"Oh it's gotta be Sam for sure." Steff says as she giggles quietly.

"One more guess before I tickle you." Lucifer warns and Steff just giggles.

"Luci you're no fun." Steff says playfully as he pulls his hands back.

"Yeah well you don't need anymore fun in your life right now." Lucifer says as he picks her up, but she cries out when he bumps her wings; Gordon growls as he approaches.

"Down Killer." Gabriel mutters at the dog as he puffs out his wings defensively.

"Down Archangel." Sam tells his lover who just smiles at him.

"Sorry here let me fix those." Lucifer says as he pushes his power into her body healing her wings so that they're all black and glossy again.

"Thanks, but can you put me down? I have a race to win." Steff says confidently as she gestures to Gordon, who takes off down the hall. "Oh no you don't!" She shouts after him as she turns into a young black lioness racing after him. The group just watches as the lioness chases after the German Shepard.

"Why is she so young?" John asks confused by this whole situation.

"That is my power, I turn adults into children." Mara tells the confused hunter.

"Wait you're a witch!" John says in outrage as he goes for his weapon, but Dean just pulls his hand away from his gun.

"Yes, I am… John Winchester, you're her father I'm assuming. She is an exceptional being, truly she is… If I were her mother I would be very proud." Mara says with reverence to the man who just stares at her.

"Dad she's a good witch… it's cool." Dean assures his father who just nods and extends his hand; Mara just takes it and gives a hearty shake.

"Strong grip…. Mara right?" John says and Sam just watches as his father attempts to flirt with the witch.

"Never happening John and besides, Gordon would rip you to shreds." Mara tells him with a laugh; John just retracts his hand with a small smirk.

"Can't blame a man for trying right?"

"Well I could turn you into a child as punishment, but something tells me that would upset you… and probably your sons too." Mara says and the boys just shake their heads in yes.

"What is she doing?" God asks as they turn to see Steff tackling Gordon as they wrestle around on the ground.

"Umm… she and Gordon had a bet to see who was the strongest and the fastest earlier… she is currently winning both." Mara answers as they watch as Steff pins Gordon down only to have him nip her shoulder, and she just retaliates by growling at him. Gordon just grins while he kicks her off then sprints away with Steff close behind. They hear a loud roar as they disappear from sight.

"She really does pick a fight a with everyone." God says in amazement, wondering how this was the same angel he almost killed a week ago. This was the same Steff who had just let him take his anger out on, with no backlash, no retaliation, or even words; just a body for him to break till his anger had dissipated. God finally realizes why Michael had called him a tyrant instead of a father; he had beaten some poor, defenseless, exhausted angel nearly to death who had been trying to save her mate and her mate's brother from danger… her family…. He finally understands what made Steff so desirable amongst his sons… She was the very epitome of being an angel truly and utterly angelic in every sense of the word: heroic, noble, loving, powerful, courageous, loyal, and would give her life to save everyone else if that would save them.

"Father are you okay?" Michael asks, noticing how his father had gone quiet.

"Poor Balth, he is doomed to love what he can never have." God mumbles inaudibly, knowing if he were to help this son he would just hurt the other, and her in process.

"What Father?" Cas asks having heard his father say something just couldn't quite make it out.

"Nothing Cas, I have to leave now. Michael you're welcome to join me son, Heaven shall always be your home and Lucifer that goes for you too." God tells his sons who just nod in understanding and watch as he disappears. Dean, Sam, John, Cas, Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer just look around the room to find Mara reading to a large group of children.

"Cas turn me into a cat." Dean asks Cas who just looks at him funny.

"Why Dean?"

"Because I asked."

"Very well." Cas says to his lover and turns him into a cat. Dean once as a cat disappears into the crowd of children who all gasp in delight at the fluffy cats appearance. Dean just wanders through the children, settling on a little girl's lap who had been the only one not trying to get his attention. At first the girl tries to push him off, but when he looks at her with large kitten eyes she just sighs and pets the cat reluctantly. However when Dean starts to purr it causes the little girl to smile, Mara who had been reading this whole time just smiles at Dean's behavior.

"Gabriel." Sam starts as he looks to his angel with pleading eyes.

"What Sam?" Gabriel says as he looks to his hunter.

"Can you…"

"Can I what?"

"I wanna get petted too." Sam admits quietly and Gabriel just laughs softly. He snaps his fingers and Sam just grins as he trots over to the children, only to be swarmed by them. When the commotion finally dies down Sam settles on his side next to a little boy who had been crying. The little boy just kisses the top of Sam's head and Sam just licks the boy's face causing him to laugh. Mara chuckles when she sees the boy petting the other Winchester with a smile.

"Alright you guys story time is over. Who wants to go home?" Mara asks and three children raise their hands. Two of the three children were the ones petting Sam and Dean.

"Bye puppy." The boy says as he hugs Sam and scratches his head in goodbye.

"Bye kitty." The little girl says as she puts Dean down who just nods his head in understanding.

"Gordon!" Mara calls out, but hears nothing in response not even the scuffling of paws, "Children stay with Mister Michael please."

"Yes Lady Mara." The children echo back to Mara meanwhile John, Cas, Gabriel, Lucifer, and the Winchester brothers all look to her in confusion. Mara and them begin to walk away from the kids, listening for any kind of sound indicating where Steff and Gordon are. When they reach the outside they look around until they hear a threatening growl from a lioness then they sprint in that direction.

"STEFF!" They hear a gun shot then a man cry out, followed by a lionesses whimper. They all rush outside to find Steff lying crumpled at the feet of Gordon. Gordon just kneels down next to her, feeling her neck for a pulse. He finds one, weak but there so he turns himself to face their attacker. "Now you die beast!" Gordon shouts in anger as he transforms into a wolf, and lunges at the beast ripping its throat out. He then begins to rip organs out leaving it in a bloody mess.

"Gordon what happened?" Mara asks in horror as she moves to the fallen lioness.

"Lady Mara it was little Tommy, he was a shifter… we were wrestling when he showed up and just started to attack. Steff took the brunt of it, he was about to shoot me but she jumped in front of the bullet." Gordon explains as he gestures to Steff who Lucifer is healing. They all watch as Steff just wakes up slowly.

"Gordon you all right?" Steff asks groggily as she turns back into a child. John just pushes past Lucifer and picks her up hugging her tightly. They all just watch in shock as the eldest Winchester hugs his daughter tightly.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again Steffanie!" John scolds his daughter as she just kinda stays there in shock, her eyes wide. At first it's hesitant, but John feels it the slight pressure of her returning the hug ever so softly.

"Sorry John." Steff says quietly as she pulls away from him, but he just picks her up back in his arms. John just picks her up so her head is lying on his shoulder, he feels Steff yawn against him.

"Lucifer can you take us back to Bobby's?" John asks as he looks to the angel.

"No, Luci… need to stay here… save children." Steff says groggily and Lucifer just gives her a strange look.

"Sweetheart save them from what?" Lucifer asks wondering what else could possibly happen next.

"Monsters… need to… save them." Steff mutters right before she falls asleep onto John's shoulder, he just rocks gently from side to side, humming softly.

"What is she talking about Lucifer?" Mara asks as she tends to the minor wounds on Gordon who just looks at his mistress with worry.

"It was, some sort of planned attack… but I can't figure out who it was planned by, he shot Steff before she could dig into his mind any deeper." Lucifer tells them as he gestures to take Steff, but John just ignores him.

"Dad give her to Lucifer, so he can take her." Dean says as him and Sam turn back into humans.

"Lucifer it's fine, I can hold my own daughter." John says possessively as he pulls Steff closer to him.

"Dad seriously, just let her go." Sam urges his father.

"No Samuel, I won't let her go this time!" John shouts at his son who just backs off, and Steff stirs slightly at his harsh tone.

"I want Dean." Steff mumbles sleepily and Dean just smiles as he opens his arms to take her, John just grumbles quietly as he hands Steff over to Dean.

"Come here Angel." Dean says quietly, and Steff just curls tighter into his grip snuggling into his shoulder. John just glares at his son, jealous that she still accepted his son as her real father even in sleep. Dean just bounces her slightly till he hears her start to snore quietly.

"Dean should I take you guys back to Bobby's?" Cas asks as he gestures to him and Sam.

"No, it will only piss her off to be taken out of the fight… if there is one. Mara is there a room I can take her to?" Dean asks the witch. Mara just beckons for him to follow her as they walk back into the warehouse. When they pass the main room they find all the children sitting in a circle listening to Michael. He was telling them the story of creation.

"And then God said let there be light!" Michael says theatrically as he uses his power to make the lights flash brightly making the children gasp in awe. Dean and Mara just smile as they walk past; Michael giving them worried looks when he sees Steff on Dean's shoulder. However before he can dwell on it too much he feels a child tugging on his pants leg.

"Mister Michael then what happened?" The child asks him.

"Oh sorry children let me continue." Michael apologizes then continues the story as Dean and Mara walk past and onto the room. When they come to a private room Mara opens the door then leaves them alone, heading back to the others. Dean just walks in and lies Steff down on the bed.

"Don't leave me Dean." Steff pleads, her eyes opening slowly. Dean just smiles then sits back down on the bed and Steff just crawls over and up into his lap. He just pulls her up to him as she falls back to sleep on his chest.

"Steff I need to go help Sammy and Cas." Dean says with a sigh and Steff just snuggles deeper into him.

"After a nap Dad." Steff mumbles against Dean's chest, at this Dean just smiles and pets her wings gently.

"Steff I'm not your…"

"More than he ever was or could be." Steff says as she cuts him off with a frustrated sigh. Realizing that she isn't going to be able to take a nap, so she snaps some coffee into existence and begins to drink it. Dean just stares at her, and she snaps some up for him too.

"Thank you, but shouldn't you be asleep." Dean points out as her eyes become bright again because of the caffenine.

"I'll sleep when I'm dead and besides it's impossible to sleep when you start to debate fathers with me." Steff remarks quietly as she pulls away from him then winces, "I hate when this happens."

"When what happens?" Dean asks as he takes the coffee from her hands.

"This." Steff grunts out as she picks up her knife from her boots then sticks it into her side, before Dean can stop her.

"STEFF!" Dean shouts as he rushes over to her knocking the knife from her grip, at his shout Sam bursts in. He finds Steff restraining Dean with a fire snake while she uses her angel blade to cut deeper, and as she does this blood begins to rush out of the wound.

"Blood loss is a bitch." Steff mutters as she keeps digging her hand in her body looking for something, knowing that if she doesn't hurry up and find it she is gonna pass out.

"STEFF!" Sam shouts, but is stopped when a force holds him back; meanwhile Steff drops the blade covered in her own blood. They then watch as she digs around in her side; blood drenching her hands, and blood loss causing her to fall back onto the wall for support.

"Oh god somebody help!" Dean shouts into the air, and listens as Steff just groans in frustration.

"Your so melodramatic Dean." Steff states with a roll of her eyes as she leans against a wall breathing hard, and gasps when she finally finds what she's looking for. "There the bastard is." She says in triumphant as she slides down the wall, and releases her brothers who rush to her.

"CAS!" Dean shouts in panic as he puts pressure to Steff's side and Cas shows up.

"Dean what happened?" Cas asks in horror as he goes over to Steff who just smiles at Cas.

"Such a pretty angel." Steff says as she raises her bloody hand to his chin then drops it, lack of blood was making her a little loopy.

"Angel hey stay with me, Steff sing me the refrain of 'Only the good die young'." Cas orders as Steff just tilts her head to the side and laughs.

"Cas I'm fine, here." Steff says as she allows Cas to heal her and gives him a bloody, metallic bullet. She pushes Dean's hands off of her body as the hole closes on it's own. Cas just takes it then wipes the blood off of it as Steff stands up, and takes a drink of her coffee.

"Steff what is that?" Dean asks as he hands his sister back the knife.

"Thanks, it's a bullet made of an angel blade. The damn things really take a toll on my power had that thing been a few more inches to the right I'd be dead." Steff tells him as she feels her powers healing the internal wounds as well as the exterior ones Cas had missed.

"Where would someone get this Steff?" Sam asks as he hands her the dropped angel blade.

"An Ebay auction, God, or my better guess a…"

"Scorned angel." Balthazar says bitterly as he shows up suddenly, and Steff just glares at him.

"Balthazar." Steff says with animosity to the angel.

"Steffanie." Balthazar answers with just as much animosity toward her.

"What do you need bond mate?" Steff asks her eyes narrowed and wings flared out ready for a fight.

"Oh Steffanie, we have something much deeper than any bond." Balthazar sneers at her as he flares his wings in challenge.

"Really, then why did you just try to have me assassinated?" Steff inquires with disdain.

"Because to be honest you piss me off… a lot." Balthazar answers as he lowers his wings and Steff does the same.

"Yeah well join the club, Lucifers the leader." Steff says to him with a glare.

"Don't even go there Steff." Balthazar says angrily.

"Why not Balthazar?" Steff taunts him with a sneer.

"Because I love you, you heartless bitch!" Balthazar shouts in rage at her and she just laughs. She laughs like she did when they were about to have sex, which just infuriates him more.

"Really, I'm the heartless one? You're the asshole who just tried to kill me!" Steff shouts back at him.

"If I wanted you dead I would have killed you." Balthazar mutters and he watches as Steff bristles with anger. He just watches as Steff advances toward him with her wings re-flared and the air crackling with her power.

"You are going…"

"What are you going to do Steff? Hmmm? If you really wanted to kill me I'd be dead by now." Balthazar tells her and Steff just backs off a little knowing that what he says is true.

"I… I …"

"You what Steff? Just tell me." Balthazar begs her tired of playing this guessing game with her where they always end up hurting the other one. He knew that it was hard for her to verbalize her feelings or even admit them for that fact, but he also knew that she had cried over the indigo roses so she must care… Balthazar just had to get her to admit it to herself.

"I…" Steff stutters as she looks away from his eyes… the eyes that told her in Hell that it would be alright after a hard day of ruling… the eyes that never lied to her only told her the truth… the eyes that she wanted to wake up to every morning because they shone with so much love, happiness, and understanding. Eyes that told her even when he was angry at her that he still loved her in the end…. Just like Lucifer's.

"What!"

"I love you." Steff says quietly as she loses her fury, and she backs up till her back is against the wall again as she slides down it. "I have always loved you… and always will." She mutters and looks down at the floor tears falling from her eyes. Balthazar just sighs in frustration as he approaches her, he too losing his anger.

"As do I, but Steff you can't have it both ways. You either love him or me, choose." Balthazar orders her and she just stares at the floor for the longest time as a look of indecision on her face.

"I choose…"

"Tell me."

"Neither." Steff says finally as she ends the bond connecting her to Lucifer and the imprint tethering her to Balthazar. Dean, Sam, and Cas just gasp in shock at their sister's decision. Balthazar just nods in understanding then disappears. "Goodbye." She mutters then disappears herself leaving her brothers in shock, and her guardian angel in anger.

"Cas are you okay?" Dean asks as he watches his angel bristle with sudden anger.

"No Dean I am not." Cas says in rage as his wings shake with anger, and Dean just backs away from him just in case.

"Is…" Dean starts, but a glare stops him.

"Dean take Sam and go find the others I… I need to leave before I hurt someone." Cas tells his lover who just nods in understanding as he disappears.

"Come on Sam let's go find…"

"Where is she? I can't find her, Dean where is she?" Lucifer shouts as he shows up, and nearly tackles Dean off his feet.

"Lucifer how…. Just look through my mind also don't kill us afterwards." Dean tells his distraught friend as he looks through his mind to see the exchange between Steff and Balthazar. He watches as she makes the choice with regret in her voice, then watches as she and Balthazar both disappear.

"That asshole! I'm gonna tear him apart!" Lucifer shouts at him angrily as Dean and Sam just stare at him in fear, "Wait where's Cas?" Lucifer asks wondering how strange it is to see them without him.

"He said he had to leave before he killed someone." Dean answers him and Lucifer just sighs allowing the anger to leave him before he did accidentally kill someone… other then Balthazar of course.

"I see… well he always was more level headed than any of us." Lucifer admits as he turns to the brothers. "Sam where is Gabriel?"

"Right here Luci, where is Cas and Steff?" Gabriel asks as he notices their absence. Dean just looks at the floor, then picks up the bloody metal and takes it into his grasp.

"Cas had to go, Steff left, and I hope something kills Balthazar." Dean says bitterly at the confused archangel who just takes Sam's hand then sees the exchange between Steff and Balthazar.

"That bastard!" Gabriel shouts in outrage, which surprises Sam a little.

"Gabe why are you mad?" Sam asks seeing obvious reasons for his, Cas', Deans, and of course Lucifer to be angry, but not really any for his lover.

"Sammy believe it or not I do like your sister, and I do care for her happiness… whether that was with Balthazar, Lucifer, or maybe even Cas a long time ago. But now what really ticks me off is that he would make her choose that selfish, arrogant, piece of angelic trash!" Gabriel yells at Sam who just nods in understanding. A look of pride flashes across Sam's face when he sees how Gabriel actually does care for her, when not to long ago he had told Sam that she was a whore. At this point the group just stares at each other wondering what the next step would be knowing that Steff isn't going to want to be found right now, and Balthazar probably isn't going to want to be either. However before they can dwell too much on that thought John and Michael come in.

"Dean where's Steff?" John asks his son, who just looks him dead in the face and says.

"Gone."

"Gone. What do you mean gone?" Michael asks in confusion and fear because he can still feel that she is alive just not here. Dean just glares angrily at the bullet in his hand.

"Come here Michael I'll show you, since father of the year over there isn't being so forth right." Gabriel says to him as he sighs then puts a hand to Michael's forehead and shows him what has happened.

"That asshat!" Michael shouts in outrage after watching the scene.

"Can someone show me too, she is still my daughter?" John asks wanting to know what has happened that would make her run. So Michael just shows him too, "I thought you guys were supposed to be angels."

"Yeah, well we all aren't as loving as Lucifer over there." Gabriel comments as they turn to see Lucifer entertaining the children with a reenactment of his fall; Gordon had shifted into Michael to play the part.

"Lucifer get your ass over here!" Michael shouts at his brother who just rolls his eyes at him. Before Michael can go drag him over to them, Gabriel grabs his shoulder.

"Leave him Michael."

"No, he should be over here helping to find her!"

"Michael we all know Steff will come back when she damn well pleases, so just let him be… I'm pretty sure you don't want mopey Lucifer or angry Lucifer, so just let him have fun. We can find her without him." Gabriel tells his brother who just calms a little.

"But…"

"Shut it, now can you tell if she is all right or not?"

"She is fine." Michael tells his brother in defeat.

"Good, now Sam, Dean I need you two to go try a tracking spell. I doubt it will work, but hey it's worth a shot." Gabriel orders as he snaps his fingers causing them to go back to Bobby's. "Someone should find Cas before he does something irrational." Gabriel says and Michael nods his head then disappears. Looking around the room Gabriel notices that only he and John are left.

"So what should I do?" John asks the angel.

"Well considering the fact that Steff recognizes Dean as her real father… you should probably just go." Gabriel tells the hunter who just nods his head in understanding.

"Can you snap me back to where I was?"

"Sure." Gabriel says as he snaps John back to wherever he was. He then leaves the room to find Lucifer still entertaining the children. However now he has turned into a cat then began chasing Gordon when he shifts into a mouse. Gabriel just smiles at his brother's antics, also a little surprised how calm he is with Steff being gone.

"Lucifer I need to ask you something." Gabriel shouts to Lucifer over the children's laughter at him and Gordon.

"Sure Gabriel, bye guys."

"Bye Mr. Lucifer." The children say to him as Gordon turns back and takes them over to the cots for bedtime. Lucifer just smiles and heads over to his brother who just waits patiently with a smile.

"You are fantastic with children brother."

"Yeah well when you have two of your own you sorta learn to let the little things go… So whatcha need?" Lucifer asks and Gabriel is still in slight shock at his brother's unusual calm.

"Lucifer are you okay?"

"I'm fine, why?"

"Because Steff just left, ended your bond, and is probably doing something stupid right now."

"So?"

"So? What do you mean so?"

"She doesn't want me right now and if she wants to leave then I can't stop her, but if she wishes to come back I'll be here." Lucifer says to him and Gabriel just looks at him in confusion. Then this Lucifer turns away from him with a smile, and Gabriel finally realizes why he's so calm.

"You're not Lucifer are you?"

"Huh?"

"Where is the real Lucifer?" Gabriel asks as the creature shifts into it's normal form which looks a lot like George Clooney it just smiles at him with a cocky grin.

"He left when Balthazar did, told me to distract you."

"Why?"

"Something about an angel to kill." The creature tells him then turns back to the children. Gabriel just looks at him in confusion before he realizes where he is, in a blink of an eye he flies to Heaven.


	56. A Spirit Animal Worth Talking To

Steff

When Steff flew away she didn't fly to her normal spot in Antarctica or even Africa, but rather the one in the Taiga; the spot that Cas had taken her to a long time ago. Upon arrival Steff just takes a seat near the tree that she and Cas had fallen asleep against last time, before Gabriel teleported them back to Bobby's. She sits there and wonders if she made the right choice. The choice between the love she needs and the love she wanted… the love she… well now when Steff came to think about it, did she ever really even deserve their love at all. She fled from them whenever she got upset, she tried to kill both of them multiple times, hell she had disowned them both now.

"I don't deserve to be loved." Steff states quietly as she watches the snowfall from the sky slowly, like it was in no rush just gently floating down from the sky. "I wish…"

"Steff!" She hears someone call her name and she freezes, waiting to see if they'll leave her be or keep looking.

"Steff its Cas!" Cas shouts hoping she'll make this easy as he looks around the forest for her. Steff doesn't answer him not ready for his words of wisdom that were sure to come; however Cas wasn't letting her go that easy. So he searches through the snow till he found her lying against a tree coated in a thin layer of snow. She had even turned her wings white in an attempt to hide from him.

"Steff that is a little childish even for you." Cas points out to her as he joins her sitting in the snow.

"…" Steff just sits there in silence staring at the sky, watching as the snow continues to drift down gently from the cloudy sky.

"Angel."

"I'm not an angel." Steff says sharply, not wanting his affection right now or even his presence.

"Oh, well then what are you?" Cas asks curious as to what she believes herself to be.

"I'm… what's it to you anyways Cas? Didn't I already break your heart enough for one lifetime?" Steff asks him bitterly not even sure why he still bothers with her anymore.

"Yeah well let's just say both you and your brother have broken my heart." Cas replies as he strokes a few of her feathers soothingly, but Steff doesn't want his comfort right now so she jerks her wing away from him.

"What did he do?" Steff asks warily, glad to change the subject.

"He… well it's hard to explain."

"Oh… Well then I'm sorry about that." Steff says to him as she looks at him finally, only to be met with what she feared… pity she didn't want or need his pity.

"Why are you sorry, you didn't do it?" Cas asks in confusion as he sees her feathers bristle again.

"So." Steff mutters bitterly.

"So? Steff it's not your fault your brother broke my heart." Cas says to her and she just sits there going silent on him again. "Well if you don't want to talk I can leave."

"Bye." Steff says not even looking towards him as he stands up threatening to leave.

"If you need me just call." Cas tells her and she just stares up at the sky. He just nods then disappears going off to wherever he goes.

"Balthazar." Steff mumbles quietly curious as to whether or not he still hears her call, but just like she thought, he doesn't because he never shows up. So she just stares at the ground tired of looking to the sky, when she knows help won't come from it knowing that Balthazar was right a long time ago… she had some serious abandonment issues.

A couple of hours later

As Steff sits on that cold, icy ground she feels herself grow back into her normal adult sized self. She stretches her wings out and sighs when they span their normal wingspan. Using her powers she creates a Doberman made of flame that lies next to her keeping her hands warm as she strokes it. The Doberman just pants with its tongue out making Steff smile at how it acts like a real dog would, like when Sam gets turned into a puppy.

"Can you understand me?" Steff asks the dog and it just dips its head in yes. "Are you part of my brain like do you know what's going on?"

"Yes Steff I do." The flame dog tells her as it cocks an ear to the forest listening to the faint sound of a woodland animal rustling amongst the leaves.

"So, can you tell me who I love?" Steff asks the dog who just raises an eyebrow at her.

"Love is such a complex word." It answers her.

"Figures… even my subconscious is difficult." Steff says with a frustrated sigh.

"Well I am a part of you."

"Can't you give me the spark note version of this lecture?" Steff asks not really in the mood for a long ass lecture by her subconscious in firedog form.

"No, but I can tell you to listen to your heart."

"That is such a me answer!" Steff groans in frustration.

"I suppose it is, but we are you; so giving any other answer would be unacceptable right?"

"I guess, but who should I choose?" Steff asks the dog, who just sighs.

"Steff we have been through a lot together from physical torture, to dealing with crazy angels, and don't even get me started on our father or hell… even God. But the one thing that has always been there and has never changed is love: our love for our brothers, the love we have for our friends, and most importantly the love for our angels." The Doberman says with surety as it stands up and begins to fade away slowly.

"Wait, don't go!" Steff shouts desperately as she tries to will the dog back, but it just keeps fading from her sight.

"I will never leave you, remember I'm part of you. Now go fix this mess before an angel dies." The dog says as it finally fades away completely leaving only a dry patch of land where it had lain.

"But why do I always have to fix this?" Steff shouts into the air angrily.

"Because Love you're the angel who fucked it all up." Crowley answers her as he appears next to her.

"Yeah well I quit, you go be an angel for awhile." Steff tells him as she pulls her knees up to her chest.

"Fine then you go be a demon." Crowley retorts with a smile as a contract appears in his hand. Steff just rolls her eyes and causes it to burst into green flame. "Nice color."

"What do you want Crowley?" Steff asks not really wanting to argue with him right now.

"I was just passing through, and I heard your question thought I should answer you." Crowley says as he snaps a chair into existence and sits down beside Steff.

"Yeah well go piss up a rope." Steff mutters to him bitterly as she glares at him.

"So feisty all of a sudden. I bet that's why you attract all the angels."

"Crowley we may be friends, but I will still smite your ass."

"Steff I don't see why you're mad."

"I'm mad because everything I touch either dies, or gets fucked up in some way… I love Lucifer don't get me wrong, but…"

"Let me guess Balthazar showed up just in time to be Steff's cuddle buddy when she needed one most and gave you the stare… the stare that makes you feel like everything will be alright as long as you have him." Crowley says to her and she just turns to him in confusion.

"How did you know?" Steff asks wondering how he could know.

"Love, you act like you are the first angel to consort with him." Crowley says to her with a smile.

"I'm not?" Steff asks in even more confusion.

"No far from it. See Balthazar has a way of making angels feel, well how do I say this… special maybe."

"Lucifer makes me feel special too." Steff comments quietly.

"Yes, but Balthazar has it down to a science Love. First he shows them what love can feel like, then he bonds with them showing them that he does love them, but in the end he becomes possessive even more so than Lucifer. He tells the angels they need to choose and that brings us to now Love." Crowley explains her and watches as she stands up, her feathers now bristled in renewed anger.

"Can I kill him?" Steff asks the demon who just smiles and snaps two scotches into their hands. Crowley just shrugs then they both drink.

"Well technically you could, but should you?" Crowley questions the angel who just sighs in frustration.

"You know they say if you love something let it go…"

"And if it returns it's yours forever." Crowley says as he finishes her sentence, "According to that Love you should be Lucifer's till the end of time."

"Who said I wasn't?" Steff asks Crowley as she looks up to him from down on the ground her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Well you kinda implied it right now."

"I'm his and he's mine!" Steff tells the demon with authority.

"Really?" Crowley asks, taunting Steff.

"He's mine!"

"What about Bernael, you remember how she took him?" Crowley says still trying to provoke her into action.

"Mine!" Steff shouts at him with possessive anger.

"Then go show him Love." Crowley suggests to her as he points to the sky. Steff just nods and flies to Heaven. "I am good." Crowley says with a smile as he disappears back down to Hell.

Meanwhile in Heaven

Lucifer

"Where is he?" Lucifer shouts angrily as he tears through Heaven looking for that asshole of an angel.

"Who?" God asks as he jumps in front of his son to stop him from flying off again.

"The dick that doesn't deserve to be an angel… I warned him of what would happen if he tried this kinda shit. Now he dies!" Lucifer shouts angrily as he pushes past his father continuing through Heaven in search of his brother. God just watches with a sigh of defeat as his son storms off down the corridor.

An hour later

"Come out, come out wherever you are Balthazar!" Lucifer shouts tauntingly and right, as he is about to turn around; he catches the flash of gray dark tinted wings and blonde hair. He instantly jerks around to find Balthazar flying in the opposite direction. Lucifer takes off after him. After a few minutes of chasing him, Lucifer finally overtakes Balthazar tackling him into a heaven that is some sort of gladiator arena.

"How fitting." Lucifer says with a smile as he brandishes one of the broadswords with a sapphire in its pommel lying on the ground. Balthazar says nothing as he pulls a medieval rapier from a dead man's chest. They say nothing as Lucifer lunges at him making the first strike. Balthazar just parries the blow then attempts to make one of his own only to have Lucifer block it. Lucifer returns it with a stab at Balthazar's midsection however his blade only slices air as he blocks that one too.

"You know I've always been a better swordsman than you brother." Balthazar jeers as he manages to knick Lucifer's shoulder. Lucifer just grunts in pain as he lunges forward again only this time he fakes Balthazar out, and instead attacks his left side rather than head on. He is met with success when he slices into Balthazar's midsection by the bottom of his ribs.

"You aren't my brother anymore!" Lucifer growls out as he makes wild jabs at him. Balthazar parries each strike successfully only causing Lucifer's fury to intensify making his attacks stronger and stronger. For awhile this is how it goes just both of them locked in close combat stabbing, and parrying blows with no one making any headway for either side. Eventually God becomes curious and goes to find Lucifer wondering if he ever found who he was looking for. So God follows the trail of his son to a heaven that resembles a Roman gladiator arena. When he enters he sees his sons locked in combat, both sweaty and with blood on them from where the other had managed to get a small cut or a knick in.

"What are you guys doing?" God asks as he draws a flamberge and a shield from a nearby weapon rack and approaches them. Lucifer just ignores his father as he attempts to kill Balthazar. On the other side Balthazar begins to go on the offensive attacking Lucifer as he pushes him back. God just rolls his eyes as he steps between the both of them with a shield to Balthazar, and his flamberge to Lucifer keeping his sons from killing each other.

"Get out of the way Father!" Lucifer shouts angrily as he tries to push past him to Balthazar.

"Lucifer put the broadsword down, Balthazar disarm now!" God orders them as he struggles to block both of them.

"No this angel deserves death." Balthazar replies back as he jumps over his father only to be held mid air by him and Lucifer stuck in mid strike.

"I said enough!" God shouts and both of them are suddenly lying on their backs. "STEFFANIE GET YOUR ANGELIC ASS UP HERE NOW!" God yells angrily as his voice shakes the heaven. However Steff doesn't show up at first, "If she isn't…"

"God where is he!" Steff shouts as she shows up with waves of anger, and power radiating from her.

"Where is who?" God shouts at her with frustration as she looks around the heaven then picks up Balthazar's discarded rapier, and approaches Balthazar who is looking up at her with nothing but love in his eyes.

"You were wrong Balthazar." Steff states plainly as she thrusts the blade into the ground by Balthazar's head. "I don't need to choose because he has always been mine and I will always be his. So it would do you well to just recognize that fact, and if you can't accept the fact that you will have to share then leave." Steff says authoritatively as God releases his power over his sons to watch them sit up then stare at Steff. Balthazar doesn't say anything as he just stares at her with a blank look. "Choose now." Steff says in the same tone he used on her earlier.

"I…" Balthazar stutters as Steff taps her foot impatiently, and Lucifer just stands next to her with a victorious smile.

"You what?" Steff asks expectantly as she gives him a hard glare.

"I will share." Balthazar responds in defeat as he stands up then him and Steff renew the imprint, after that he disappears and Steff turns to Lucifer.

"Lucifer!" Steff shouts happily as she tackles him back to the ground all her anger leaving with Balthazar.

"So I guess I don't a choice?" Lucifer asks as Steff kisses him deeply.

"Did you want one?" Steff asks with raised eyebrows while straddling his waist, and pausing right above his lips. Lucifer just looks up at her with a smile.

"No." He says as he rolls them over so he is on top and goes back to kissing her.

"Good because you're mine… haven't you ever heard that saying?" Steff asks in between his possessive kisses.

"Steff I've been around for eons, I have heard many things." Lucifer says as he pauses for a breath.

"If you love something let it go, and if it comes back it's yours forever." Steff tells him while she catches her breath.

"Yes I have heard of it, why do you ask?" Lucifer says as he goes back to kissing her.

"Because it describes us perfectly, each time you allow me to run. I just come back only to realize that I'm yours for as long as this whole immortality thing lasts." Steff tells him with a smile as he uses his wings to pin her down completely. Then he begins kissing her neckline, nipping gently as he kisses behind her ear. The one spot that's really sensitive and she just arches up into the pleasure.

"Sweetheart I do love it when you have epiphanies like this." Lucifer tells her in agreement as he goes back to kissing her lifting his wings so she can move again, "Did Cas ever find you?"

"Yeah." Steff says curtly as she rolls them over so she is now straddling him, "Why?"

"No reason. Where did you go this time?" Lucifer asks as he just lies underneath Steff as she kisses along his neck. Steff doesn't answer him just keeps kissing, and God just sighs as he walks over to them.

"Secrets between mates are never good." God comments quietly as he pulls Steff off of Lucifer then pulls Lucifer up much to the couples disdain.

"Yeah well no one likes an over protective father either." Steff says in disappointment as she grabs onto Lucifer and he just holds her tightly.

"Steffanie you don't know the definition." God says in a jeering tone.

"Maybe but…" Steff starts, but fades out as she begins to pull away from Lucifer.

"Sweetheart let me just stop you there. Do you really want another fight with him?" Lucifer interjects as he pulls Steff a little closer to him.

"I can take him." Steff says confidently as she flexes her wings getting herself pumped. God just smiles as he picks up his flamberge, and gestures for her to find one of the many weapons. Steff looks at the rack trying to decide on a weapon.

"Sweetheart what are you doing?" Lucifer asks worriedly really hoping she isn't going to fight his father again, it never works out for either of them.

"Trying to pick between a rapier or a broadsword." Steff replies plainly as she picks up a golden broadsword with a sapphire in the pommel as she swings it around in her hand, "This'll do nicely."

"Wait!" Lucifer says as he steps between his father and Steff.

"What now?" Steff says impatiently as she stabs the air lazily.

"You don't even know how to sword fight."

"Can't be that hard if Balthazar can do it right?" Steff says playfully as she pushes past Lucifer, and takes her stance in front of God. "Alright how does this start?"

"Like this." God says as he lunges at Steff in an attempt to knock her off balance, but she just laughs as she dodges to the right. Then counters with a jab knicking God's shoulder. He just stares at her in surprise as he sees blood on the surface of his skin, Steff however wastes no time as she thrusts the blade towards him again. The pair just dances across the arena each making superficial wounds on each other. Lucifer who was just standing on the side knowing that this was going to take awhile; just sits in the stands and reads a book about bonds.

An hour later

Eventually Lucifer looks up from his book to find Steff and God still going at it. However he sees that Steff is no longer holding the broadsword, but rather Balthazar's rapier. Also he notices that Michael, Gabriel, Cas, and her brothers are on the other side of the arena watching. Lucifer just flies over to them to find Gabriel eating a candy bar and Dean sitting away from them closer to the field cheering.

"Sam why is he over there?" Lucifer asks Sam as he sits down next to them.

"I have no idea, but what are you reading?" Sam says as he gestures to the book in Lucifer's hand.

"It's a book on bonding between angels and other angels, or even humans but that rarely ever happens." Lucifer says to him as he hands him the book and Sam just looks at it.

"Lucifer I can't read this." Sam says to him dejectedly as he hands the book back, but Lucifer just smiles and winks at him.

"Samuel I believe if you take a look at that text again you might be able to make it out." Lucifer says to him as he walks away and down to Dean. Sam just gives him a confused look as he reopens the book to find that the letters and symbols translate themselves into English. He just laughs as he walks back over to sit by Gabriel.

"What's that Moosey?" Gabriel asks as he reaches over to look at the book in Sam's hands.

"Just something Lucifer gave me." Sam says as he hands it to him.

"Bonding?" Gabriel asks questioningly as he gives him a curious look.

"Apparently Lucifer thought I might like it." Sam says as he takes the book back and begins to read it. Gabriel just shrugs as he turns back to find God and Steff in separate sides of the arena each catching their breath and healing the worst of the wounds.

"Will those two ever stop?" Balthazar inquires, as he appears next to the group his sadness from earlier gone. Cas just stiffens slightly as he turns to face him angrily.

"You're a possessive bastard, and I hope you get mauled by a bear." Cas says angrily to Balthazar who just looks at his brother with surprise. Having never heard him be mean to anyone… besides evil creatures.

"Oh, should I go?" Balthazar asks as he sees Lucifer turn around to face him.

"Cas I'm in total agreement with you." Dean praises while never taking his eyes off the fight, watching as Steff rushes at God.

"Thanks Kitten!" Cas shouts happily down to Dean, who balks at the pet name.

"Castiel stop calling me that in public, it's embarrassing." Dean shouts back at him with displeasure in his voice.

"Why?" Cas asks curiously, having never heard Steff balk at her pet name, or even Sam after him and Gabriel were officially a couple.

"Because I asked you not to." Dean says and Cas just deflates a little.

"Well ok, sorry." Cas offers and Dean just shrugs.

"Water under the bridge Cas, but seriously why are you here Balthazar?" Dean asks as he turns away from the fight to face the angel.

"As much as I hate to admit it your sister has managed to capture my heart… again." Balthazar says to him with an exasperated sigh.

"One more chance is all you get before I kill you myself." Dean says calmly as he looks Balthazar right in the eyes.

"I second that." Lucifer adds as he watches his mate clash with his father as sparks fly off their blades.

"Understood, now how is my Darling fairing?" Balthazar says as he stands by Lucifer and looks down at the battle happening before them.

"Your Darling my ass." Lucifer mutters and Balthazar just rolls his eyes.

"Well what do you want me to call her Lucifer?" Balthazar asks him with a frustrated look over his shoulder.

"Preferably nothing, but if you must then I guess my opinion doesn't really matter now does it." Lucifer says to him as he returns the look to his brother.

"Not that it's any of my concern, but are you two gonna fix this or what? You're worse than Dean and Steff sometimes." Sam says to them as he looks up from the book.

"I resent that Sam!" Steff and Dean both shout however Steff's is followed by a yelp, "No fair I was talking!"

"Life isn't fair Keshet." God points out as he punctuates the sentence with a jab.

"Oh you wanna play that way, now do ya." Steff shouts at him turning her full attention back to him. He just laughs good-naturedly as Steff goes back on the offensive.

"Can you two finish this already?" Dean shouts at them only to be silenced with an angry stare by both of them.

"Shut it!" They shout in unison.

"Whatever, Cas can we go?" Dean asks, as he turns to his angel tired of watching this only because it made him more anxious then he would like to admit.

"Dean I would love seeing how this ends." Cas tells him and Dean just sighs in frustration.

"But Cas." Dean whines and Cas just rolls his eyes at his lover's behavior.

"Don't worry Cas just use that weird telepathy shit you and Steff have." Lucifer says to him and Cas just purses his lips together. Dean then walks over to Cas who just takes his shoulder and they both disappear.

"Sam you wanna go too?" Gabriel asks hopefully and is ignored because Sam has his face stuck into the book. "Hello earth to Sammy." Gabriel says as he claps his hands in Sam's face.

"Gabe just go." Sam says as he continues reading, Gabriel just groans then pulls the book from his grip.

"Sam come on let's go."

"Gabriel I don't want to, I just want to sit here and read." Sam says loudly with frustration at his angel's pesky behavior.

"Fine call me if you wanna do something." Gabriel says with hurt in his voice.

"Gabe don't be like that." Sam says as he puts the book aside and hugs his angel, "I just want to finish this page then we can go." Sam says as he sits back down and goes back to reading quietly. After a few minutes Sam finishes and Gabriel disappears with him.

"Winchester's are weird." Lucifer grumbles as he watches Steff continue on fighting, however they had moved on from traditional sword fighting to actually using their powers and swords. The battleground was now covered in scorch marks and holes from where the lightning had either been redirected, or had hit its intended victim. He just watches as the pair flies high into the sky still attempting to sword fight, however they were both using there swords to redirect the others attacks. Lucifer had to admit it was pretty epic to see his father and his wife attempting to kill the other. He watches as the lightning flashes through the air leaving the atmosphere crackling with its power. Lucifer just sighs as he goes back to the bleachers and sits down. Then he lies down on them realizing that they are probably going to be awhile, he eventually falls asleep.

A few hours later

Eventually Steff and God decide to call it quits figuring seven hours of fighting was enough. Seeing as how neither of them had actually won, or even made fatal wounds on each other.

"Keshet… I'm tired." God says breathlessly as he just lands on the ground sheathing the sword on his hip. Steff just smiles as she lands next to him, and sheathes her rapier on her hip just as out of breath.

"Fair enough… Wait does that mean I won?" Steff asks as she looks to God with a large grin on her face and eyes alight with triumphant.

"I suppose it does Winchester, I suppose it does." God says as he returns the grin, "One of these days I will beat you in a fair fight Winchester, mark my words."

"I look forward to the day God." Steff says as she begins to walk back into the stands, only to find Lucifer asleep with a book for a pillow. She smirks at how peaceful he looks, much more peaceful then in his everyday life. So Steff just materializes a blanket and lays it over him. God just watches as Steff kisses his cheek then walks back over to him.

"He deserves you." God says quietly as he looks into Steff's eyes deeply.

"He deserves happiness, not me."

"No Keshet that is the one thing I failed to create for him… I failed to make someone or something that he could truly love him or even understand him. However my marvelous angel have done just that, and I never even imagined him so happy… you Steff have given him a purpose and reason to live … because of you Angelic Huntress he knows true love, happiness, and compassion. You gave him, Michael… and I our humanity back. So for that thank you and may your love last forever." God finishes passionately, only to see Steff look away from him as if ashamed of something.

"That's debatable." Steff answers as she looks away from God's intense stare, to look at Lucifer to find him mumbling something about Shakespeare.

"I don't believe so." God tells her as he pulls her chin to face him, "All you need to do is let him in."

"He won't like what he finds…"

"What?" God asks in confusion.

"You think I run because it's fun, you think I enjoy worrying everyone, and you think I like trying to pretend that I don't hate myself?" Steff asks angrily as she turns away from God.

"Child…"

"I'm not your child." Steff says firmly as she turns back to face him.

"Well since I'm the creator of everything technically you are, but how do you know he wouldn't like it."

"Because I do."

"But how?" God implores her.

"I just do alright! I wouldn't want me." Steff admits to him.

"Why not?"

"God why do you think I started hanging out with Balthazar?" Steff asks changing the subject slightly.

"Because he's fun?" God says not sure what else about him there really was.

"No because he never asked why, he just let me hide."

"Darling that's just sad." Balthazar comments as he appears next to them.

"Yeah well go eat a duck." Steff says quickly.

"A duck really? That's the best you got." Balthazar says skeptically.

"What do you need manwhore?" Steff asks him not in the mood for his banter.

"Well now I don't want anything from you… me a manwhore! You have some audacity to call me that." Balthazar says playfully with mock hurt.

"Only hurts if it's true." God comments quietly, only to have both angels just glare at him. "Should I go?"

"Please." Both angels say to him preferring to work this out on their own, so God respects this and walks out of the heaven, but not before he says, "No matter what is there Steff he will still love you… his love for you is unconditional." God tells her and then walks out leaving Steff and Balthazar alone. At first they just stand there, and glare at each other silently.

"So what did you want?" Steff asks breaking the silence and looking Balthazar in the eyes. Her intense gaze begins to make Balthazar shift awkwardly.

"Can you stop staring at me like that Darling?" Balthazar asks her uncomfortably wondering how to say this.

"Can you stop being such an angelic dick?" Steff retorts as she continues to stare at him harshly.

"I'm sorry alright. I should have never done that to you… so I'm sorry okay." Balthazar says begrudgingly, he had always hated apologies. Steff just stands there for a minute waiting to see if he had anything else to add, but he doesn't.

"Well in that case…. I'm sorry too." Steff replies quietly.

"For what you didn't do anything Darling?"

"No I did I should have just… well you know what let's just leave it at sorry." Steff says as she stops her intense stare. Balthazar just smiles glad to see that this whole mess is over, he steps closer to her. Then to Steff's surprise he hugs her and Steff just returns his affection giving him a swift kiss to the lips. Neither of them notices how the imprints on their fingers glows brightly signifying that there unity had been renewed. As she pulls back Balthazar goes to kiss her again, but she just pushes out of his grip.

"Come on don't do that." Balthazar says to her playfully as he pulls her back and wraps his arms around her, and then puts his head on her shoulder.

"Are you happy Balthy?" Steff asks as she looks to Lucifer still sleeping peacefully on the stands a few yards away from them. Balthazar doesn't answer her question right away he just stares off into the distance while still holding Steff.

"Yeah Steff I think I am…. Are you?"

"I don't know Balth, I'm not even sure what happiness is anymore." Steff admits to him as she lays her head on his chest.

"I think you are Steff, but you refuse to let yourself be truly happy all the time because when you do someone either ruins it or you find a reason to be unhappy." Balthazar says to her and she just laughs quietly. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing Balthazar." Steff says as she pulls from his grasp then disappears. Balthazar just sighs as he looks to find Lucifer still sleeping peacefully.

"At least he's happy." Balthazar comments quietly as he leaves the heaven to go tend to his charges prayers.


	57. In Solitude We Will Discover The Truth That Lies in The Shadows

Steff

When Steff leaves Balthazar she flies down to earth, to a little town called Rockland in the state of Maine. Though this town may be small, it was the place that really started Steff's self-hatred. This place is one of the reason's Steff still hated herself the most. It wasn't the fact that she pushed her brother's away, or how she had killed Wes. She had come to accept that one after her and Wes had talked it out. However the only memory that still plagued her and filled her heart with guilt, was the way her friend Jordan had died. Steff could still see and feel the terror in Jo as the demons murdered her slowly. If Steff thought about it hard enough she could still hear the screams coming from Jo as the demons ripped her skin off piece by piece. And the helplessness that accompanied her because she was unable to stop the demons. Steff had struggled against them trying to get to Jo, but there had simply been to many for her to handle on her own. By the time Cas had shown up to help her, Jo had already been dead: just a pile of bloody flesh and bones lying in the sand. Steff had burned her body and presented the ashes to her husband in a decorative bottle. At first Steff thought the husband would be fine after awhile, but about a week later when Steff had returned to the house to check on him she found him dead. He had taken one of Jo's shotguns and shot himself in the head. When Steff saw this she realized that she had single handedly destroyed a family. So she turned the husband to ash and put him in the bottle with Jo's ashes then buried them both in the nearby national park under the roots of a young oak tree. Steff now stands at the base of that very same oak tree, standing tall and proud in the forest. At first Steff just looks to the tree with reverence seeing as it had represented everything Jordan had ever been in life: strong, confident, and beautiful.

"If you can hear me Jo, just know that I'm truly and utterly sorry." Steff whispers to the tree and nothing happens not even a rustle from the leaves. "I should have tried harder to save both of you." Steff tells the tree as she begins to shed tears for her fallen friend and her husband. "I really am a monster." She whispers and a sudden wind picks up causing a few of her feathers to ruffle. At first Steff just assumes it's an angel, but when the creature says nothing.

"Your not a monster Steff." Something says to her in a familiar voice, Steff still doesn't turn around to face it. "Steffanie look at me."

"No, because you're probably not even real."

"Really Steff you're an angel and you think it's impossible for me to be real? Seriously that's a little closed minded even for a Winchester." It says to her and Steff slowly pivots around to face the ghostly being.

"Jo?"

"In the flesh, well more like the ethereal plain." Jo says to her as Steff just stares in disbelief. "So what do you need?"

"Nothing just came to pay my respects." Steff lies and Jo knows she's lying too.

"Winchester the real reason please. We haven't got all day you know."

"What Jo I can't just visit this spot and revel in the good times?"

"No, but you don't usually call yourself a monster when you do that." Jo points out to her and she just looks away from the ghost.

"Yeah well let's just say things have changed."

"Why?"

"Because they just have." Steff snaps at her bitterly.

"Well life is an ever changing thing Steff."

"Jo how is that helpful at all?"

"I don't know? I'm a ghost give me a break if I'm being a little stereotypical. This isn't that easy you know."

"Good point, sorry I'm just stressed."

"The great Steffanie Winchester is stressed let me go alert the media." Jordan says to her sarcastically with a smile.

"Damn Jordan you're even more sarcastic as a ghost." Steff tells her as they both chuckle quietly.

"No seriously though you aren't a monster because trust me when I say this, we've seen some real monsters and you're not one of them. A bit of a martyr maybe, but no monster." Jo tells her which makes Steff just smirk at her.

"I miss you." Steff states as she looks to her friend sadly.

"Same here Winchester, but you have got to stop this."

"Stop what?"

"Stop this whole I'm a bad person because I couldn't save everyone spiel. Steff it's not your job to save every single living thing, it's just not logical, nor is it possible." Jo tells Steff who just stands there staring at the ghost.

"I know…"

"Well then if you know why do you still blame yourself?"

"Because I don't want it to happen at all."

"Winchester it's a fact of life. People die and new people are born its just the circle of life." Jo tells her as Steff looks away from her and into the forest.

"Yeah well then how come I never die? Huh? How come everyone I love dies, but yet I'm still stuck in this hell; even when I try to die, I just come back ready for another beating!" Steff shouts angrily at the ghost who just gives her a sympathetic look.

"It's because if you died then all the good you do would never get done… I'm not telling you change I'm just telling you to forgive yourself and be happy." Jo answers her and begins to fade slightly. "My time is up Steff, but just remember you're not a monster. Jason and I don't blame you for what happened. In fact Heaven has done wonders for our relationship. Allow Lucifer and Balthazar to love all of you, they won't run… I promise." Jo tells her as she fades completely from view back to wherever she was.

"Yeah well I wish it was that easy." Steff says as she walks away from the tree and deeper into the forest. She turns herself into a cat as she silently pads through the forest watching it come alive with its nocturnal residents. Steff watches as the owls wake up slowly from their perches in trees and take flight into the night air. She also watches as foxes and deer come out to wander the forest in search of food. As Steff wanders through the forest she notices a lone bear cub just wandering all alone looking confused and scared. She approaches the animal slowly in an attempt to keep it from bolting off. Steff turns back into a human as she walks closer to the bear only to have it shy away from her.

"Wait don't go, I won't hurt you." Steff says to the bear soothingly as she offers it some food. At first the cub is wary of her, but eventually it inches toward her and takes the food slowly. "That's a good boy." Steff praises as it eats the food slowly and she begins to stroke it softly, pulling the burs from its messy fur. She then begins to look around wondering where its mother is when she can't see it, Steff searches through the cub's memories to see that a hunter shot it. "You're all alone out here aren't you?" Steff tells the cub as she picks it up in her arms. "How about we go to Bobby's?" Steff suggests to the cub that just yawns in response.

Bobby's House

She just smiles as she flies to Bobby's house and then walks into the bathroom where Steff de-fleas the cub then gives it a bath so it's fur is chocolate brown and soft again. As she is drying off the cub Bobby bursts into the bathroom with a shotgun. The cub begins to growl viciously, but Steff just holds him back.

"No Koda that's just Bobby, shhh it's okay." Steff says soothingly as she strokes the bear's fur calmingly. "Bobby put the gun down." Steff orders as she just holds the cub.

"Why in God's name do you have a bear?" Bobby says in outrage as he lowers the gun and Koda relaxes in Steff's arms.

"Good boy Koda." Steff praises as she leaves the room then walks into the boy's room, which is currently unused. She sets Koda down on Dean's bed as she lies down to and Koda curls up close to her as he falls asleep. Steff just strokes the bears fur and whispers, "It's okay Koda you aren't an orphan anymore I'll protect you." Then she herself falls asleep next to him, pulling him close to her. Bobby just looks at them in confusion, but says nothing as he goes back downstairs.

"Idjit." Bobby grumbles as he goes back to cleaning up his basement.

Next Morning

When Bobby awakes the next day he hears the sound of laughter, and the clacking of claws against the floor coming from the kitchen. So Bobby goes downstairs to find Steff pointing a laser at spots on the ground and Koda attempting to catch it.

"Steff why is there a bear in my house?" Bobby asks as the cub runs over to Steff, and hides between her legs.

"His name is Koda and his mother has been killed." Steff states swiftly as she picks up the bear then leaves out the back door. Bobby just sighs when she leaves as he picks up the kitchen phone.

"Dean your sister is her and she has a bear… I'm not sure why, just thought you might wanna know." Bobby says as he leaves the message then clicks the phone off. Then he opens the back door, and walks outside to where he sees Steff talking to the bear cub. Bobby is about to go over there, but his cell starts to ring. He checks the screen to see that it's Sam.

"Hey Sam, oh no I think she's fine… yeah I was just wondering if you… I see… okay… all right see you guys soon." Bobby says as closes the phone. He looks around thinking that he just saw Steff, but he when he looks he can't see her anymore.

"Steff?" Bobby shouts hesitantly as he turns toward the barn, but he doesn't see or hear anything that would indicate that she or the bear were there. "Koda!" Bobby shouts thinking that the bear might be able to lead him to her. Sure enough the bear comes out around the corner with blood on its face and claws. Bobby just runs around the corner to find Steff lying in a puddle of her own blood on the ground with an angelic blade stuck in her chest.

"Steff!" Bobby shouts as he runs over to her, "Steff you with me?"

"Bobby not a bear… run." Steff says as she uses her powers to send Bobby to Lucifer in Hell.

Lucifer's House

Hell

Lucifer had been calmly drinking a cup of coffee, and going through some of the older contracts seeing whose souls needed to be collected this month. When Bobby appears next to him at the table.

"Bobby what are you doing here?" Lucifer asks as he places the cup, and the contracts onto the table.

"Lucifer evil bear!" Bobby says with panic in his voice.

"Evil bear?" Lucifer answers in confusion not sure what he's getting at.

"Steff's in danger, we need to my house now!" Bobby says frantically and Lucifer just grabs his shoulder then flies back to his house. They find a man standing over Steff wiggling the angel blade back and forth in her chest.

"How's that feel angel?" The creature sneers at her and Steff just cries out in pain. "Not so good I take it, well no matter you'll be dead in a second or two." The man tells her with a malicious voice.

"Why?" Steff manages to choke out, and the creature just looks at her in surprise.

"Steff you're the one who was complaining about being alive. I was simply helping you." It says to her and Steff just turns away from it to see Lucifer approaching them.

"I don't want to die Lucifer." Steff admits as her eyes begin to close slowly and Lucifer seeing this runs over then pulls the blade out, and throws it straight into the creatures chest killing it. He then pushes his power into her body healing the wounds, but she isn't waking up.

"Steff wake up, Steff come on!" Lucifer shouts and Steff just lays there her eyes closed with no pulse. "No!" Lucifer shouts in despair as he tries giving her CPR hoping that might work… but it doesn't. Bobby just watches from the sidelines not sure what to do.

"Bobby how did this happen?" Lucifer asks as he looks down at her body and he can feel the warmth slowly leaving it. He knows that she actually dead now.

"She just showed up with a bear cub… said something about its mother being dead. Lucifer I … I don't…" Bobby says as he tries to explain to him, but the words just come out in stutters. Lucifer just looks from his dead mate to the man stuttering above him.

"It's not your fault Bobby… it's not anyone's." Lucifer tells him mournfully as he picks up her body.

"Where are you taking her?"

"Just down to the panic room. You tell her brothers I'll call Balthazar. Cas and Michael probably know already. " Lucifer says sorrowfully as he takes her down into the panic room. He can hear Bobby outside talking on the phone followed by the anguish yells of her brothers. Lucifer just closes and locks the door after he puts Steff on the bed. "Come out Steffanie don't let me wait." Lucifer starts singing quietly with tears in his eyes remembering her favorite song tweaking the lyrics to fit, "You monotheistic girls start much too late. Aw but sooner or later it comes down to fate, I might as well be the one. Well they showed how to hunt, and told you to kill. But you sold your soul and I locked you away, aw but I never told you the price that you'd pay for things you might have done. Only my angel dies young." He sings and he feels Balthazar show up next to him, but he just joins Lucifer in song.

"You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd, we ain't to pretty we ain't to proud." Balthazar sings quietly as he looks to Steff then Lucifer his eyes filled with tears.

"We might be laughing a bit too loud, aw but that never hurt no one." They both sing in unison.

"So come out Steffanie show me a sign, send up a signal I'll throw you the line." Lucifer sings as the tears fall from his eyes.

"The stained glass curtain you're hiding behind, never let's in the sun. Darling only his angel dies young. Whoa, whoa, whoa I'll tell ya. Only our angel dies young." Balthazar sings out sorrowfully, and they both turn to see Cas open the door with Gabriel, Sam, and Dean behind him.

"You got a nice set of wings black and powers on your awakening. You got a brand new soul though it came with a few holes." Dean sings as he enters the room eyes tearing up at the sight of his sister lying stiffly on the bed, when she is usually so animated.

"But Steffanie, Lucifer didn't give you quite enough information. You didn't count on him when you were counting on your powers. Oh whoa, whoa." Sam sings as he walks over to the bed and strokes a wing.

"And they say there's a Heaven for those who will wait, some say its better but I know it ain't. I'd rather see you laugh with the sinners then cry with the saints, the sinners were always much more fun. You know that only our angel dies young." Cas sings out in his gruff voice as he too approaches the bed tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

"You said your father told you all that Lucifer could give you was a reputation, aw he never cared for him, but did he ever say a prayer for him." Gabriel sings contributing to their song.

"Aw whoa, whoa. Come out, come out, come out Steffanie don't let me wait." Lucifer sings as he places a hand to her heart in one last attempt to bring her back.

"You monotheistic girls start much too late." Balthazar sings as one of his tears drop onto Steff's face watching with hope… but Steff doesn't stir.

"But sooner or later it comes down too fate, I was always glad that he was the one." Dean says as he looks up to face Lucifer.

"Only our angel dies young." Sam sings out mournfully finishing the song and Gabriel wraps his arms around his hunter as Cas does the same to Dean. They all just stand there dead silent not sure what they should do, but knowing what they must. Eventually after five minutes Cas breaks the silence,

"Lucifer should we burn her or bury her?"

"…"

"Lucifer?" Cas prompts his brother, but he just stands there staring at Steff almost trying to will her back to life.

"…" Lucifer says nothing as he looks at the only mate he has ever had, as she lies dead in front of him. Balthazar just moves away from the bed and over to Lucifer, he puts his hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture, but Lucifer just shrugs him off. He says nothing as he just disappears from them.

"Lucifer come back!" Balthazar shouts, but his brother doesn't listen. "Gabriel we should get him before he does something stupid." Balthazar suggests and Gabriel just nods in agreement as they both disappear.

"Dean should we burn her or…" Sam starts, but just stops mid sentence by the glare he sees in his brother's eyes.

"She can't be dead." Dean says in denial.

"Dean look at that bed she is, and she isn't coming back this time alright! She's gone!" Sam shouts at his brother his sadness turning to anger.

"No Sam, I can save her like she saved us in the beginning… the whole deal that started all of this." Dean says desperately still in denial.

"Dean would you really insult her memory like that?" Cas asks his grieving consort.

"She'd be alive again Cas."

"Yeah and you would go to Hell for an eternity… and I can't go to Hell." Cas tells him and watches as Dean just shuts his mouth having run out of ideas.

"But we… we have to save her."

"Not this time Dean, not this time." Cas remarks quietly, as Dean just leans on him.

"Cas I don't want her to be dead."

"You think I want my one of the best friends I have ever had to be dead either?" Cas asks him at this the brothers just go quiet. They all stand in silence none of them really sure what to do next.


	58. Death Answers Many Questions Life Cannot

Steff

While her brothers were arguing about funeral arrangements. Steff finds herself wandering through a forest made of aspen, cypress, cherry, and ash trees. She just wanders through the area looking for anything to help her get out of here, only to find nothing.

"HELLO!" Steff shouts looking around for anyone. "IS ANYONE OUT THERE?"

"Yeah I'm right here chill, no need to yell." A teenage girl's voice says from behind a cypress tree.

"And who are you?" Steff says as the girl steps out from behind a tree, only to reveal herself as a younger version of Steff.

"Technically I'm you, but just to keep things straight call me Tessa." The other Steff says and real Steff just nods in agreement.

"You know I have always like that name Tessa."

"I know because I am you."

"Oh yeah… so where am I anyways." Steff asks Tessa who just raises her eyebrows at her.

"You don't know." Tessa asks in confusion.

"No I haven't the foggiest." Steff says wondering what has happened to her this time.

"Your dead Steff…"

"I'm dead! But how?"

"Mauled by some kind of supernatural shifting bear."

"Damn, that sucks." Steff tells her in disappointment and Tessa just shrugs in agreement.

"We finally bit the big one." Tessa says to her as they begin to walk amongst the trees.

"But I don't wanna to be dead."

"Really?" Tessa asks her in surprise, "Because last time I checked we were begging for someone to put us out of our misery."

"Maybe, but…" Steff starts, but is cut off.

"But what? Death is death Sweetheart one way or another." Tessa mocks her.

"Alright you don't have to be a bitch." Steff says bitterly.

"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to reiterate the fact that however you wanna look at it you're dead, and now it's time for you to go."

"Go. Go where?"

"Well see that's the tricky part." Tessa says to her as Steff just looks at her in confusion.

"Why?" Steff asks having thought that would be the easiest part of this.

"Don't get me wrong I'm glad we sold our soul and all, but that deal doesn't just go away… we still kinda belong to Hell." Tessa says gingerly trying not to upset Steff too much.

"Why would that be a problem? I get to go chill with Lucifer." Steff says optimistically trying to make the best of a bad situation.

"No actually we don't." Tessa informs her sadly.

"Why not?"

"Because your soul would be put in a pit and tortured till either someone found you or you were rescued by an angel again." Tessa informs Steff who just groans at this.

"Can't I just go back?" Steff asks and Tessa just shakes her head in no.

"See it's not that easy Steff."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because you don't have the help of God or someone else."

"Tessa when have we ever needed someone's help?" Steff asks with a smirk.

"More often then we like to admit." Tessa says to her and Steff just nods her head in agreement. Steff just stands there for a few minutes trying to think of a good way out of this, but not coming up with any on her own.

"Tessa?" Steff asks quietly having suddenly thought of something.

"Yes Steff."

"Now this is just a hypothetical, but are we strong enough to get back to the world of the living on our own?" Steff asks her and Tessa just stands there thinking for a minute.

"Maybe… but we would have to want it… a lot." Tessa says eyeing Steff calculatingly; "Like I mean more then we wanted Jeremy Smith in the ninth grade."

"Jeremy Smith… that much?" Steff says as she just shivers with the memory of Jeremy.

"God he was hot… Plus he was nice, the boy was the full package." Tessa admits and they just revel in the memory of the few dates they had snuck out for.

"Anyways, Tessa it can be done right." Steff says getting them back on topic.

"Yes…" Tessa starts, but stops when they hear approaching footsteps, "Shit Steff you need to go before he gets here. I will try my best to hold him off, but you need to get to the center of this forest. Find the black ash tree I will meet you there." Tessa says quickly as she points the direction and Steff just takes her word for it then starts sprinting in that direction.

An hour later

Steff just continues on the path through the forest looking for this black ash tree, but not seeing it. At some point she had wandered through some sort of swamp, but had made it out and was back into the regular forest. However she had noticed how much darker it seemed now. But Steff just ignores the feeling of darkness and keeps moving on towards what she thinks is the middle of the forest. Eventually she begins to feel the feeling of someone following her. So she just picks up the pace hoping to get back to Tessa as quickly as possible not looking forward to meeting the 'He' Tessa had mentioned earlier.

"Steffanie." A voice calls out behind her and instinctually she turns to face the sound of it.

"Azazel?" Steff asks as she watches the angel with blood red wings come forward from the shadows of an aspen tree.

"Tis I."

"What are you doing here?" Steff asks as she continues walking trying to get away from him.

"Now Angel that's no way to treat Uncle Azazel." Azazel says in a way to friendly voice for him at least.

"You're not my Uncle." Steff says as she keeps walking away from him.

"Are you sure about that? Haven't you ever wondered how little Sammy ever got his powers?" Azazel asks her and Steff stops then turns to face him. Steff had secretly always wondered how Sam had gotten powers, but at the time had been to busy with her own stuff to look into that too much. However right now seemed to be the perfect time for it.

"Explain." Steff demands as she stops in her tracks prepared to hear what he has to say.

"Well let's see… how do I tell you this without upsetting you…. When your father met your mother they were just friends, however when I found him without an anti-possession charm I just couldn't resist the temptation to make another Winchester… Though I never figured she would come back to kill me, nor be my eventual downfall." Azazel tells her and she just goes pale at his explanation.

"Aw hell no!" Steff shouts in more disappointment than anger as her wings droop slightly.

"It's true and if it's any consolation neither one of us ever made great fathers." Azazel says to her as he implies John and he closes the distance between them. When he gets close enough he wraps his arms around her in a hug. Steff immediately pulls from his grasp, but couldn't help how it felt natural.

"Wait does that make you my father?" Steff asks in horror as she tries not to freak out anymore than she was already.

"In a way, but I'm more than happy to allow Dean to have that position. Seeing how he filled it the best out of all of us." Azazel comments while he steps closer to her as she just steps back not wanting another hug. "Daughter this isn't something you can run from."

"Maybe not, but I can damn well try." Steff says with pure determination, now more ready than ever to get out of this Hellhole she called her mind. So with that Steff takes off into the forest leaving Azazel behind, and only focused on getting out of here before someone burned her body in the real world making this process more difficult. While she's running she comes to a pond, and in the middle of it is a small island with a single lone standing black ash tree. Steff doesn't even question it as she flies to the center, and waits for Tessa to show up. Eventually Tessa just pops in causing Steff to jump.

"Sorry. You okay Steff?" Tessa asks as she sees Steff with a very serious expression on her face.

"Yeah I'm just ready to leave before someone decides to burn my body." Steff tells her as she smiles at herself trying to hide her horror at what Azazel had told her.

"He found you didn't he?" Tessa says as she draws some symbols on the black ash tree in her blood and gestures for Steff to do the same on the other side.

"Yeah, though you remember when we were in Purgatory for the second time?" Steff asks as she finishes her side and turns to face Tessa.

"Yeah." Tessa says as she heals her hand and Steffs.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I kinda figured something like this was gonna happen after what he said to us." Steff says calmly and Tessa just nods in agreement.

"Just because he made you doesn't change us at all, remember that. Now get going before you lose your conviction to leave." Tessa says as she chants some words in Enochian then a bright light flashes with the symbols and Steff's vision goes black. "Remember who you are and all that we fight for." Tessa whispers before Steff loses complete consciousness.


	59. Five Feet Above

Real World

A week later

When Steff awakes this time she finds herself surrounded by blackness, unable to twist around. However when her eyes adjust she realizes that she's just in a coffin, at first she wants to panic; but she forces herself to stay calm and use her fire to make a small light. Once the light is there she can see that the coffin was nailed shut with silver nails.

"Leave it to hunters to make this difficult." Steff mutters with a sigh as she uses her powers to melt the nails. She then pushes the lid up only to have dirt flood into her face.

"For the love of St. Hubert of Liege!" Steff shouts as she spits the dirt out of her mouth as she climbs up out of the grave. She looks around to see that she was buried in the Alaskan wilderness, also she sees that a headstone was placed at the head of the grave and it read: Steffanie Marie Winchester, Hell's one and only Angel, Huntress, and the only angel with a savior complex bigger than Heaven and Hell put together.

"To bad I'm not dead yet because that's a fantastic headstone." Steff comments as she dusts herself off. "Now that I'm back where should I go first?" Steff wonders as she tries to decide whom to see first. "Fuck it, they're all probably at Bobby's anyways." She says as she disappears to Bobby's.

Bobby's House

As Steff flies to Bobby's it takes her a little longer than usual, she figures it's probably because she had been dead for a while. Then a thought occurs in her mind, "How long have I actually been dead?" She asks herself and decides to stop in a gas station picking up a newspaper only to find it's only been a week. So armed with this new information she continues on to Bobby's house. When she finally makes it to Bobby's she stands in the front yard looking to see if the Impala is there and it is; so with that she approaches the front door and right as she is about to knock she is met face to face with Dean.

"Hey Dean." Steff says calmly, and Dean just stares at her in anger.

"Cas we talked about this. It's just creepy!" Dean shouts angrily and Cas just walks up behind him.

"Dean I'm just standing… Holy shit!" Cas exclaims in disbelief when he sees Steff standing on the porch covered in dirt and just smiling at them.

"Sammy get over here now!" Dean shouts to his brother and Sam wanders in with Gabriel.

"What's the…" Sam starts as he walks up and Gabriel being Gabriel just pushes past them and pulls one of Steff's feathers.

"Ow you bastard! I work my ass off to get back to the world of the living only to have my feathers pulled… I knew I should have seen Lucifer first." Steff grumbles as she rubs the spot.

"Yup that's your sister." Gabriel states plainly and Steff just glares at him in disbelief.

"Really that's how you know? By the way I react to that… what if some shifter showed up and you did the exact test and it reacted like that? For the love of God you guys… I die for a week and this is what happens…" But Steff doesn't get to finish that statement because Dean just pulls her into a hug.

"Angel that's how we know it's you." Dean says happily as he pulls her close, knocking the breath out of her.

"Dean… can't breathe." Steff chokes out as she shakes the dust off her wings.

"Sorry." Dean says as he loosens his grip slightly, but doesn't release her.

"So what have I missed?" Steff asks as she pulls out of Dean's grip only to be captured by Sam this time.

"Not much Steff, just a lot of drinking… oh wait you missed drunk Cas." Sam tells her and Steff just sighs in frustration.

"I see how it is, everybody gets drunk when I die… then they get the one person I really wanted to get drunk, drunk." Steff mutters and Sam just laughs. "Sammy can you let go, still a little sore." Steff asks as he let's her go hesitantly.

"Sore from what?" Gabriel asks as he materializes a glass of water for her, and she takes it drinking it gratefully.

"Gabriel have you ever died?" Steff asks him and he just shakes his head in no. "Well then it's kinda hard to explain… but when you pull yourself through the division of plains it takes a lot out of you. And sometimes you have to fight your way out because some souls attempting to get back will try, and jump in your body so you have to beat them back." Steff explains to them and they just nod in understanding, however she notices that Cas is hanging back from the group as they walk inside, and Steff turns back to find him lingering on the porch. "Cas what's wrong?"

"Nothing Steff." Cas says as he looks out towards the yard.

"Cas, I'm sorry." Steff tells him and he just flinches at her words.

"Why?"

"Because I should have just talked to you a long time ago about my guilt… I should have allowed myself to trust you." Steff admits to him regretfully, and Cas just turns to look at her.

"Maybe but…"

"No Cas there's no excuse you were my guardian angel I should have…"

"Were? Steff you're still my charge." Cas says in surprise that Steff didn't think she was his charge.

"Cas I don't…" Steff starts, but is stopped by Cas' glare.

"No you are, as long as your breathing and I'm breathing then I am your guardian angel." Cas says sternly. Steff just stops as he closes the distance between them, "Mine." Cas says in a possessive tone that reminds Steff of Lucifer. "Father made you my responsibility so you are mine."

"Cas…"

"No Steff, your safety is my job so if I sense one ounce of danger from now on… I don't care if it's a fucking bee sting, I'll be there." Cas vows to her and Steff just looks at him in shock.

"I can protect myself Castiel. I don't need a babysitter, and besides your supposed to protect my brother not me… he's human so he needs it more than I." Steff retorts back at Cas with anger.

"When will you finally value yourself high enough?" Cas asks her and upon hearing this Steff just steps back from Cas only to have him follow her. "When, how many times will you have to die before you realize how much your worth to the world?"

"I'm only valuable when I'm saving people." Steff answers him as she pushes past him, but he grabs her arm.

"No you're not, your valuable to Dean, Sam, and Bobby whether or not people are saved. You're valuable to Lucifer all the time, hell even Balthazar too. Gabriel will never admit, nor will Michael but they too value you… but most of all I value you." Cas says to her as he softens his harsh tone and Steff just turns to him.

"Really?" Steff asks hesitantly and Cas just smiles as he nods his head in conformation.

"Truly." Cas says and Steff just looks up at him with a hesitant smile as she pulls him in for a hug.

"Thank you." Steff says quietly to him as he just holds her. The pair just stands there until Dean walks back out to see what had happened. He just watches as Cas holds her to him closely.

"You guys coming?" Dean asks gently and the pair breaks apart.

"Yeah Kitten, come on Steff we had better go call your husband before he does something even more irrational this time." Cas says as they all walk into the living room to find Bobby just smirking at her.

"I knew you weren't gonna stay dead kid." Bobby tells her as he gives her a quick hug.

"Thanks Bobby, I love the confidence you have in me… compared to these guys." Steff says with a smirk. "So whose gonna call them?"

"Umm probably you." Dean says to her and she just sighs.

"Why me?"

"Your husband."

"Fine Lucifer, Michael, Balthazar!" Steff shouts, but nothing happens. "Let me try again. Lucifer get your angelic ass up here, Balthy if your not here in a minute I will drown your angelic ass, and Michael can you please just come here." Steff shouts and after a minute or two the all show up.

"Cas we told you before this isn't funny!" Balthazar shouts angrily at his brother who looks just like himself. "Steff?" Balthazar questions in disbelief.

"Yeah it's me." Steff says as Lucifer just looks to her and then instantly pulls her to him.

"STEFF!" Lucifer exclaims happily and Steff just wraps her legs around him as he picks her up.

"Hey Luci, how's it been?" Steff says and he just holds her tightly refusing to let go. "Can you loosen just a little?"

"No, never ever. Never letting you out of my sight, I don't care if I have to buy you a steel leash." Lucifer vows to her as he just holds her close.

"Fine can you spin me around so I can talk to them at least?"

"Nope in fact you're coming to Hell with me right now." Lucifer tells her and they both disappear from Bobby's house to their house in Hell. When they arrive Lucifer just begins kissing Steff as he carries her up the stairs. Upon arrival in the bedroom he gets right down to business and they have sex.

A few hours later

Hell

"I'm not complaining, but what was that for?" Steff asks as she rolls off the bed and puts on one of his shirts, then gets back in as he pulls on his boxers then lays down next to her again.

"Because I will love you no matter what." Lucifer says lovingly and pulls her close to him. Steff just smiles as she curls herself into his chest as the fall asleep.


	60. Epilogue

They both fell into a restful sleep that night and when Steff awakes the next morning she knows that wherever her crazy life takes her. She will always have her brothers, her mate, and her angels there to help and protect her… and Steff is okay with that, she may not save everyone, but she knows that she has saved enough. Steff realizes that for as long as time lasts Lucifer will always be there because at the end of the day Steffanie Marie Winchester was an Angel of Hell and that's all that mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a Continuation of this and if people are interested I'll put it up. Also thanks again for reading!!!


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